In the last years of globalised and democratised industry, fashion has abused of the trends in month and a half spans, the turn of the nineties, seventies, grunge, punk, preppy and Naranjito to create beings devoured by thousands of references which do not allow us to see what is below. Making it impossible to continue live in this way. Nevertheless, for our peace of mind, we have the ultimate weapon to meet a person and not be fooled by the props: his shoes. And it is there, in the footwear, which is the key accessory to step on strong and fearless. May this be why it raises so many passions?
If we analyse the feminine shoe cupboard of this winter 2014-2015 season, the boots above the knee claim their position as the star footwear piece for autumn. Being of mosqueteer heredity, during the sixties the rebellious women of the time adopted them while driving men mad while leaving only a few centimetres skin visible. An equation that Brigitte Bardot or Ali McGraw followed, countering in this way their candid image. This season they are worn by the fashion influencers, the women that test the trends before anyone else, such as Elena Perminova, Olivia Palermo, Miranda Kerr and Diane Kruger, and adapt them to their own style. The most elegant choice is above-the-knee boots made to Spanish napa (lamb), as they tend to be very smooth and little sheen. The most attractive colour is usually black. They are also recommended in back fur or suede, which comes from the bottom layer of a skin result of having been divided in a mechanical way. The top layer, with the visible pore, receives the name of full grain skins, while the low one with the fibre of the animal, is frequently mistakenly called suede skin.
In the opposite side to the boots above the knee we find shoes of masculine style that is an absolute trend this winter. Androgyny, this aesthetic ambiguous place, full of shades, seems to have jumped all the barriers this season: the designers have agreed on a new femininity sustained in the pledges of the more iconic pieces of the masculine closet.
This conjunction in favour of the sexual duality began to be forged with Marlene Dietrich and her perpetual male costume. To follow this tomboy trend, it is best to choose a pair of shoes with laces that are Oxford type or some moccasins in glossy flor-antic. This type of finish in achieved by coating the surface of the grain of the skin with a product and after brushing with a bristle cylinder.
Attention gentlemen, in the male chapter, this winter season 2014-2015 we swim (or better, walk) between two waters. On one hand are classic shoes trend in two versions, having laces or buckles. The Oxford style with drawstrings, the most elegant, is characterised by its Prussian seam (the spades sewed behind to the front). It is a sure bet and they can be found flat or as Brogué (it refers to the perforations of the skin). Inside the Brogue it is necessary to distinguish two types: the full-Brogue with a more rounded top and the semi-Brogue, of straight toecap. In Spain we tend to associate Brogue more in terms such as perforations, cropping or minced, since its aspect is more ornamented and decorated with points and drawing works on the skin which are undoubtedly the main identity of this piece.
With one or two buckles, as the styles of Ermenegildo Zegna, the Monkstrap type also filled male cupboards this winter. This shoe received that name because of its similarity with some monk shoes (although surely the monks would more than like to wear such nice styles). The Monkstrap can be made in full-grain leather and will be able to be dress with a suit; if they are made in a suede skin, then they are a more casual footwear piece.
The second trend in male footwear is inspired by the mountain spirit, which is still going strong throughout the season. It arrived two years ago and is still with us. This will be your favourite shoes if you smoke rolled tobacco, you like folk music, checked shirts and Steve McQueen. We have seen the Mountain boots in Balenciaga, Ralph Lauren, and Dior Homme. For this type of boots, cattle skin is the most suitable material for its excellent qualities in terms of comfort, softness and resistance.
