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While shoes serve a practical function by protecting our soles from the elements and hazards underfoot, they have also become highly ornamented objects of obsession.
Whatever the materials or the cost, however, shoes always reflect the time and place in which they were made and worn and the culture that produced them.
"Walk This Way," unlike any footwear exhibition in the past, places shoes-from ancient Egyptian and Nubian sandals to new acquisitions representing the best in contemporary design-throughout the MFA's galleries to illustrate their relationship to other works of art.
These provocative juxtapositions provide insights into the history, ornamentation, and cultural importance of footwear.
In this treasure hunt of an exhibition, visitors might find a pair of Venetian chopines next to a painting of the city by Canaletto, a woman's shoe from the late 1790s embroidered with neoclassical scrolling grape vines exhibited with an ancient statue of the Greek god Dionysus, or a pair of contemporary wedges with rococo carved heels from MIU MIU's most recent collection alongside eighteenth century carved and gilt furniture.
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design directory
MFA > Art Museums
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Swedish fashion chain Hennes & Mauritz AB said Tuesday that Ann-Sofie Johansson will take over as design chief from Margareta van den Bosch, who will move into semiretirement this spring.
Johansson has worked for H&M since 1987 and was previously in charge of the company's women's collection, H&M spokeswoman Kristina Stenvinkel said.
Stenvinkel said that van den Bosch, who is 65, will stay with the company as a part-time special adviser.
Van den Bosch has been in charge of H&M's designs since 1987 and played a crucial role in setting up the company's collaborations with top designers, such as Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney and most recently, Roberto Cavalli.
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design directory
H&M > Fashion Design Brands
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Ekta Kaul is showing her luxurious handcrafted interiors textile accessories and textile art pieces at Society of Designer Craftsmen's exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London from 9 January to 20 January, 2008.
Ekta's collection of stunning cushions, throws and wall mounted pieces are exclusively handcrafted using the finest luxurious silks and handwoven cottons that she "texturises" through surface manipulation using needle punching.
"I am drawn to textures, whether they be in nature or architecture or simply on the sidewalk.
To me, even memories are textured", says Ekta.
Ekta brings an eclectic aesthetic to her designs, owed to her education in India and Britain and varied travel experiences.
She develops one-offs as well as small batch productions inspired by her travels and nature.
Ekta is a merit licentiate of the Society of Designer Craftsmen and was chosen to exhibit at the Mall when her work caught the curators' eye at New Designers earlier this year.
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Ekta Kaul Shows at Society of Designer Craftsmen's Exhibition
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Alexander Calder's jewellery has the same linear yet three-dimensional quality as his famous mobiles, and the parts that comprise each piece are hammered, shaped, and composed in a fashion that echoes the artist's creation of his sculpture.
Calder produced more than 1,500 pieces of jewellery, beginning in 1906 when he adorned his sister's dolls with copper wire gathered from the streets.
This use of non-precious materials and found objects guided his inventive jewellery technique, from his bohemian years of the 1920s and 1930s to the war years.
His jewellery was coveted by the Surrealist coterie, and today is still highly sought after by collectors and museums.
The newly commissioned photographs are accompanied by examples of Calder's inventory drawings; the boxes he made to store the jewellery; historic photographs of his jewellery worn by notable patrons, art collectors, and artists; and a chronology.
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Calder Jewelry
design directory
Calder Jewelry > Jewelry Design Books
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There is some uncertainty as to what constitutes fashion.
By definition fashion morphs every day. People change clothes, and clothes change people.
Fashion reflects who we are, who we want to be.
Influencing individuals and the world as a whole - a fashion statement can be just that, a form of language that acknowledges something larger within a culture.
Everything goes in to the mix: culture, music, lifestyle, politics, beliefs, and even the weather.
For example, which way the wind is blowing in Amsterdam, might determine the length of a women's hair, the style her skirt, or the height of her heels.
Today, companies producing lifestyle products have the highest potential for successful strategies, particularly in the more affluent and value-driven geographic locations.
The lines between these two continues to be blurred.
Global trends now emerge faster than ever before because of internet and text messaging.
Shortcuts in transmission of ideas and concepts between individuals are bringing the next big thing to you in the space of seconds.
For example, the latest iPod, an advanced cell phone set and a laptop are today as powerful symbols of fashion as clothing, footwear, accessories and cosmetics.
Successful brands must start to balance the "be fashionable" aspiration with today's converging technology if they want to stay competitive in the industry and most important, relevant in the mind of consumers.
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