Oh dear- each time any of our shoe loving staff return from a visit to a super-flash resort in the tropics, we return to the office bearing stories of men and women walking freestyle (NO SHOES, FLIPS OR SLIPPERS) to the breakfast buffet. In Asia we know the house rules of no-shoes-inside - but the code darling, …is this doesn’t apply at the breakfast buffet. These shoeless neanderthols often come flaunting their swimwear too. Translated -  the peasant may become rich but not his habits.

Trendecentral, bless their generous souls have scouted the perfect solution, Vibram FiveFingers. From the brand best known for their hardcore rubber outsoles comes a strange yet incredibly cool looking shoe—the FiveFingers. Catering to those outdoor sports fans who’d rather go barefoot, these glove-like shoes allow everyone from runners and kayakers to surfers, climbers and yogis to safely enjoy their activities while at the same time, retaining the sensation of being barefoot with no footwear constraints. Claiming to increase balance, agility, and posture, the variety of styles cater to both sports enthusiasts and the casual hiker, and perhaps, the design-savvy shoe addict as well.

Can’t say we like them, but its better than bare feet and an interesting alternative to Crocs!

Related Links: http://styleclinicab.com/blog/category/shoes/

PARIS
Bensimon: The French footwear brand of the summer is Bensimon, the classic French tennis sneaker that was first popular with women in the 1940s. Similar to the status of Converse in the U.S., the affordable canvas sneakers are available in a rainbow of colors and are being worn by everyone from moms to hipsters.

Source: Trendcentral

We all have that notorious pair of shoes that, despite how rough they look or how horrible they smell, we refuse to discard, simply because their comfort is irreplaceable. Now there is a practical and stylish way to transfer that comfortable feeling from one shoe to another, therefore preventing the “skin” of either pair from wearing out too soon. This innovative footwear system consists of two interchangeable parts: an outer shell/sole known as the “skin” and a flexible inner foot form that fits into the skin known as the “bone”. The best thing about these comfortable shoes is that they look super-dooper stylish with a ’shazam’ flash of chic. Skins Footwear  has finally got the comfort-style mix right…bring on the 2008 collection we want to be shod by you!  Skins Footwear is definately a brand that should be seen on everyone’s feet and …at (capsule) and inside every fashion magazine. Hurray - we like these!

Related links: Run! The shoe police are chasing Saltwater Crocs

Ok - we rarely disagree with the raves from our friends at Trend Central. But this time we believe they have got it wrong. This week they are shouting-out about a hideous shoe collection that we suspect the only people going ga-ga are back packers, naturalists, nurses or swiss germans (in other words wearers of Birkenstock).  With the exception of TOM’s, these shoes will add a distinct ‘unattactive’ and ‘doudy’ dscription to any leg - even more so if you are sporting thick ankles, thick calves, hairy legs and unvarnished toes. Stay well away from these Saltwater sandals and ballet (prima) Crocs unless you are under 10 years old or seriously hard up for a shoe solution.

Read on for Trend Central’s shoe intelligence tip-toeing their pavement, believe us - its not anywhere we tred!

Pictures courtesy of TrendCentral

Related Links

Attack of the crocs! SMH July 2007

These boots are made for gawking

FitFlops: These new flip-flops are actually a fashion/exercise hybrid attracting buzz as an alternative to the ubiquitous summer exercise fads and crash diets. They are essentially cute comfortable flip-flops that, thanks to their uniquely engineered design, give the wearer a lower body workout toning the thighs, calves and glutes. While we’ve heard that they are initially a little hard to walk in, the trade off is that you’ll have a hard time staying away from mini-skirts!

source:trendcentral

New York’s Fashion Week may be a foggy memory of feathers, hats, and sequins, but we’re still sifting through the looks. We combed hundreds of shows to find fall 2007’s ten biggest trends, from silhouettes to shoes. Now you just have to find somewhere to wear them.
By Harriet Mays Powell & Amy Larocca

From left: Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Narciso Rodriguez 
(Photo: Imaxtree.com)

Read On and expand your fashion Shopping List

(more…)

Watch the video. Your favourite shoe and handbag designer talks to New York’s Harriet Mays Powell about show girls, sea anemones, and his latest creations.

http://video.nymag.com/?fr_story=ba1cff21e39e15e75f6781e3229e013c85907af7&rf=bm

We haven’t been shopping in Austin, Texas. But Paul Johnson from a Luxury Travel Blog tells us about the super ‘shop and stay’ deal at the Renaissance Austin Hotel they are shouting about. And if your a lover of ’saver’ coupons and vouchers (probably because you know what drawer or pile they are stashed), well there are plenty - book and splurge….. we can already hear you tottering over in your heals with excitement.

And by the way, Did you know that beds are the best place to spread your wardrobe to work out ‘what goes with what’. Way back in the 80’s Hong Kong big time rag traders urged lux hotels (we think it was the Peninsula Hotel who did it first) to upsize their beds to enable a better ensemble spread. And now, thank you very much, everyone loves their super king.

And getting back onto one’s own bed…laying out  a travel wardrobe is what some of those delightfully ‘not’ put together tourists should be doing before packing their bag. Honestly some of the tribes we see pounding the pavement in the tropics need a heads-up on what not to wear. Spaghetti straps, big arms and birkies are better identifiers of tragedy on holiday than a contiki tour bus.

For more high octane shopping expeditions to the hottest shopping in Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, New York, Instanbul you had better contact us for our brochures because there is nothing mass market about us. Just purely creations for what and how you like to shop. www.styleclinicab.com

Hate having to pile-up your shoe collection or wondering where to hide your latest buy,  without the shoe box evidence? The Rakku shoe wheel is the solution to keeping them neat and adds an interesting design element to any space (thinking front entry/ uncluttered bedroom). Yes it does look like a cross between an industrial floor fan and the inside of a front loading washing machine, but isn’t innovation expanding upon an existing idea?

We like the idea of keeping our next 20 new shoes buys styled - and what a gift for the fashionista/o who has everything or the couple who fight for shoe closet space.

Love it! - fits 20 heals or men’s buffalo soles.

Buy it on line or buy direct in US or Hong Kong