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Shoe Design Stands the Test of TimeShoes have legs.
Clothes, on the other hand, are unable to stand tall without assistance: without a hanger, mannequin or person inside they sag and flop to the floor.
Shoes, however, are built for autonomy - "built" being the operative word.
"Shoes are three-dimensional structures where functionality is crucial; in many respects they are a microcosm of a building," explains Sally Mackereth, a partner in award-winning London-based architects Wells-Mackereth, whose projects have included Pringle stores in Bond Street and Sloane Street.
"My favourite shoes are Hermès," she says, "wedges that comprise of a piece of wood and a single piece of leather - fabulous in terms of both plan and elevation.
"Shoes and buildings can also take you on a journey," Mackereth adds.
"When you design a staircase, for example, the shallowness of each step changes the way people move through the space.
It is the same when it comes to the proportions of a shoe."
Bermondsey-based company United Nude is a living example of the synergy that exists between footwear and architecture.
Founded by Dutch architect Rem D Koolhaas (the nephew of architect Rem Koolhaas) and Galahad Clark (scion of the Somerset-based shoe company), United Nude was built on a single, ultra modern shoe that offers two heights but dispenses with a
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January 14, 2006 | Viewed 63,095 time(s)
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