Go: Sarah Flint Trunk Show

What woman doesn't love a great shoe? One that is high quality and beautifully crafted that brings a sense of luxury and empowerment to the wearer. Designer Sarah Flint employs traditional Italian manufacturing methods for uncompromised fit and quality. Her design aesthetic puts taste over trend.

For her Fall/Winter 2013 collection she designed fourteen styles available in a rich palette of black, bark, umber, ox blood, prune, sapphire, and peacock. Each shoe is beautifully handcrafted in Italy, using the highest quality materials including suede, calfskin, cappretto, nappa, and genuine lizard trim.

Prices range from $545 for a flat to $995 for a boot.

Who: Sarah Flint
What: The designer will be hosting a trunk show to showcase and sell her eponymous shoe line to the public. She is already a go-to designer for Heidi Klum.
When: Tuesday, October 22, 2013. 3pm-8pm
Where: Edon Manor in Tribeca. 391 Greenwich St  New York, NY 10013

Designer Shoe Sale Alert: Nordstrom Rack

Twice a year, Nordstrom Rack holds a designer shoe sale - one of which started today!  I stopped by the Union Square location on my way home from work to check it out and here's what I found.  Shoes are between 50%-70% off for both men and women.  There are a few racks set up near the cash register  which house the majority of the women's designer shoes.  Men's designer shoes, while still available but in fewer quantities are disbursed throughout the regular shoe section so some digging is required.  Keep in mind, sizing is sporadic as are styles but you can definitely score big at this sale.  Click below to see a sample of what's up for grabs (warning - this a pretty picture intensive post!).

Dupli-CAUGHT: Zara vs Alexander Mcqueen

Monk strap shoes have been making a splash the past few seasons in men's footwear.  It's a dapper look that I personally can't pull off - until now...enter the monk strap book with three buckles à la McQueen.  I love this boot - it's classy and has just enough rugged appeal to move it out of the traditional dapper realm and into street wear.

The above boot comes in burgundy, brown, and black and will set you back $795 (you can purchase them at Mr. Porter or Bergdorf's). 

Sample Sale Report: Matt Bernson

The Matt Bernson sample sale is now in Nolita. After wandering through the perilously confusing streets of Tribeca last time around, I was relieved not to get lost this time around. The space is small but well lit with plenty of windows offering natural light and most thankfully air conditioning which is so necessary on a day like this. The designer himself is by the door and cheerfully being introduced by friends to sample sale goers.

Ugg Australia Spring 2012–Beyond the Shearling Boot

When I was first invited to the luxe Gramercy Park Hotel terrace to preview the new Spring 2012 Ugg collection, I was skeptical.  The association that I had with the salt stained sock boots of the college set with sweatpants or jeans awkwardly tucked into them was hard to shake off.  Still I decided not to let what I thought I knew about the boot to shape my evening and I found myself pleasantly surprised.

When I entered the beautiful space I heard relaxing music playing as I approached a room with an impressive light bulb installation on the ceiling. Amidst the warm lighting and rustic wood fixtures I first saw the men's collection.  Beautiful rich tones of leather were crafted into an assortment of shoes.  Some classic mens shoes were displayed including boat shoes, bowling shoes and ones that even sort of look like Toms (unfortunately without the philanthropy).  My favorites were the olive green bowling shoes and the high top incarnation.  My boyfriend who came along for the ride said he would like a pair stat and pointed out a brilliant touch of shearling placed strategically in the back heel where most shoes tend to rub and become painful.

Fall 2012 Trends: Metal Plated Shoes

I know winter has barely begun, but as I was perusing GQ's 100 Best Pairs from Fashion Week,  I noticed quite a few pairs featuring metal for Fall 2012. Classic silhouettes paired with chunkier hardware accents provide for an edgier take on modern footwear.

From Costume National, to Louis Vuitton, to Salvatore Ferragamo, to YSL - there were plenty of options which were showcased down the runways.

 Costume National

 Salvatore Ferragamo

 Louis Vuitton

YSL

(images courtesy of GQ)

But to be fair, it looks like everyone took a page from Balenciaga and Louboutin - who actually introduced this in their Fall 2011 collections.

Louboutin metal capped wingtips (image courtesty of luxuryculture.com)

Balenciaga Fall 2011

More Sample Sales This Week!

Who: threeASFOUR x Salvor Joint Sample Sale Event
What: Snag discounts on samples and production items. Bags by threeASFOUR at the lowest prices they've ever been offered for + scarves by Salvor and so much more
When: August 11-13, 2011. Thurs-Sat noon-8pm
Where: Salvor, 172 Forsyth St (b/n Stanton & Rivington St)

Who: Ash Footwear Warehouse Sale
What: 60-75% off all spring/summer merchandise. Shoes from $49, Bags from $139.
When: August 5-14, 2011. Mon-Sat 11am-7pm, Sun noon-6pm
Where: Ash Flagship Store, 44 Mercer Street (b/n Grand and Broome St)

Who: In Suede Sample Sale
What: Suede Jackets $25, Leather Jackets $50, Leather/Suede Coats $35. Cash and credit cards only.
When: August 9-12, 2011. Tue, Wed, Fri 10am-6pm, Thurs 10am-6:30pm
Where: 463 7th Ave (b/n 35th & 36th St)Suite 1304, 13th Floor. 212-947-9865

B Brian Atwood

If you are a fan of sexy architectural luxury footwear, Brian Atwood’s name is no stranger to you. Unfortunately the signature footwear comes at a price that is a bit steep for the wallets of most.  Fortunately Brian Atwood is launching a new counterpart to his Brian Atwood collection with the B Brian Atwood collection set to hit stores this Fall.  The shoes will retail for $350-995, which is still a bit steep for myself but on sale, I’m guessing that the new collection will be within reach.

Brian describes the girl who wears them as part uptown sophisticated, part Paris chic, and a sizeable dose of downtown cool  - his legendary detailing, stunning textures, fringe, and "a little bit of disco" will become hallmarks of the new collection.  B Brian Atwood is contemporary footwear inspired by the globe trotting fashionista; the style icon in the making; the ultra chic editor traversing the globe; the sultry girl with long legs and indelible style.

My personal faves are the peep toe metallic shoetie, the harness boots and the fringe booties. I am crossing my fingers that they will be making size 5. The collection is currently available for pre-order on Saks while the official launch party will be on September 14, 2011 from 6-8pm.

n by Nicole Miller Fall Footwear Collection

While I don’t usually consider JC Penney to be a footwear destination, perhaps I will have to change my opinion on that subject thanks to Nicole Miller’s diffusion line.  I just caught a glimpse of the Fall 2011 shoes in the n by Nicole Miller collection and was won over by the affordability and the styling.  You can snag super cute little booties, patterned pumps and sophisticated wedges all for under $100 a pop. In fact right now several styles are marked down to just $50!  While my fave style is definitely the open toe buckle booties above, I am also digging the zip wedge booties and construction style booties below. Wish that they made size 5, but unfortunately for me the collection runs from size 6-11.  What do you think of the collection?

Shopping Round Up: Statement Sandals

Yesterday I posted about my sandals on Facebook and Twitter because my team at work stopped a meeting to discuss my funky footwear - go big or go home, I say!

Since then a lot of people have been asking me where they can find them. They're by Issa Karmara, a small Korean label with no stocklist that I'm aware of. I bought them two summers ago from Pixie Market, so unfortunately they're not longer available. But turn that frown upside down because I've done a little shopping round up for you.

Matt Bernson "Delphine", sale $141.46 (retail $209)


Jeffrey Campbell "Jaguar", $142


Jeffrey Campbell "Bad Alice", $135


Senso "Sahara Kid", sale $79.20 (retail $198)
Also available in black


Sam Edelman "Ginger", sale $80-90 (retail $100)
And if you're open to bright colors, I'm also loving them in Flamingo Suede!