I mentioned in my last post that Jeffrey Campbell tends to draw inspiration from high-end designers for some of their styles, but I never expected to see the Jeffrey Campbell Salvatore (pictured above).  I noticed this shoe at Solestruck over the weekend and it definitely caught me by surprise because this shoe happens to be a near-replica of a shoe from way back in the archives of shoe history and one that I recognized from a post I did before:

If you haven’t seen this shoe, here’s a little history: It’s the ‘Rainbow’ shoe from famous shoe designer, Salvatore Ferragamo, who created this style in 1938 during The Great Depression.  He made these for Judy Garland (note: click 1930-1940 at the link to see the shoe), in an apparent nod to her “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” song from The Wizard of Oz (he also made her ruby slippers!).  They are currently on display at the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum in Florence, Italy and were remade in 2010 as part of Ferragamo’s Creations, a limited-edition line of shoes by Ferragamo (which is still a family-run company) that replicated shoes from early in the company’s archives.  The year 2010 marked the 50th anniversary of the death of Salvatore Ferragamo in 1960 and, in addition to reissuing select shoes that he made, Ferragamo also had a special exhibition at the Salvatore Feragamo Museum to commemorate the event.

It’s amazing to me that shoes as modern-looking as the Rainbow were made over 70 years ago, but Ferragamo was definitely a man ahead of his time.  He is credited as being the original creator of many shoe styles that are widely worn and imitated today: wedge heels, platform heels, metal-reinforced stiletto heels (made famous by Marilyn Monroe), cage heels and many more can all be traced back to his work.  He paved the way for making shoes with materials other than leather, like cork, metal wire, raffia and wood and he also made strides in the area of shoe comfort, studying anatomy and finding that arch support was key.  He held over 350 patents for his many inventions and we all enjoy the fruits of his labor and discoveries to this day.  He is a true shoe pioneer and you can see more detail on his history here.

Back to the Jeffrey Campbell Salvatore.  This Ferragamo knockoff, also available in a nude version in addition to the gold pair at the top, was just posted for sale for $184.95 at Solestruck on Saturday and it sold out in a mere two days.  Given the history of this shoe and its uniqueness, it’s not hard to see why.  It was quite a bold move for JC to produce a look-alike version for an iconic shoe like this, but when you think about Salvatore’s many innovations in the area of shoes, you come to the conclusion that almost any shoes available now are inspired by him in one way or another.  For that, we owe a big thanks to Ferragamo and his legacy, which is still going strong today.

Update: Urban Outfitters has a couple sizes in this shoe with a white upper for $199.  It’s now known as the Jeffrey Campbell Groovy (sold out).  Update 5/18/11: Lori’s Shoes has the Jeffrey Campbell Gidget for $152.  It has the same rainbow platform with a nude leather thong style on the upper.

Ferragamo images from museoferragamo.it/

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Christian Louboutin is known for doing classic pumps very well, but it’s the more experimental designs from the brand that really conjure up excitement and keep us talking.  Not to mention, the more extreme shoes are probably pretty fun to design and keep fashion-forward Louboutin customers walking on the wild side.  Case in point: the Christian Louboutin Misfit heels (pictured above), which clearly have a lot going on: tassels and grommets and pleated fabric hanging down the front (and that heel - 6 inches!).  They certainly aren’t subtle, but are meant to assert themselves wherever they go.  Originally available at a retail price of $1,425, they now appear to be sold out everywhere online.

Jeffrey Campbell is another shoe brand known for boundary-pushing original styles, but they do take some inspiration from high-end designers from time to time.  In this case, it’s the newly released Jeffrey Campbell P-Kitten, which is a knockoff for the Christian Louboutin Misfit.  It’s not an exact replica, but it does provide the overall look of the Misfit at a much lower cost, which is perfect for fashion rebels who want to make this statement for less.  You can get it in black, as well as a hot blue version:

Rock this style for yourself by heading over to Solestruck, where they are sold for $129.95 with free shipping.

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I hope everyone had a very happy New Year!  To start 2011 off right on this shoe blog, I definitely had to pick a super-hot shoe as the first pair featured of the year.  The Christian Louboutin Madame Butterfly (pictured above) isn’t a brand-new style and, in addition, multiple bow detail along the vamp of a shoe isn’t exactly a new concept either, but I’m still all about it.  Multiple celebs have donned this style and I also noticed that the Louboutin-loving Kim from The Real Housewives of Atlanta wears these heels in some of the promos for the show (Update: Kim, who is pregnant, also wore these shoes on the 1/30 episode of Watch What Happens Live when she appeared with boyfriend Kroy and Andy Cohen threw her a baby shower on the show).  Bows are always sweet - and three bows take it to triple-threat girly territory - but the super-high heel keeps it both sweet and sexy.  You can get them in black or beige at Saks Fifth Avenue for $1,195, but there’s another option that’s similar in appearance, but much lighter in price:

The Steve Madden Faame is made of satin rather than leather, but it has the same trio of bows and sky-high heel for a very comparable look.  You can snag these at Steve Madden for $109.95 in black or champagne, but save more by applying coupon code FB100K for 30% off and free shipping, which drops them to $76.97.  Or, if you prefer the champagne version, get an even better price at 6pm, where they are on sale for $65.97 plus shipping.

The Steve Madden coupon expires 1/15/11.

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I wasn’t really planning on talking about Christian Louboutin crystal heels again today, as I did in my last post, but after catching up on the latest episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills on DVR over the weekend, I was inspired by Lisa VanderPump, aka “Pinky”, and her pink Christian Louboutin shoes, which she was lucky enough to get signed by Mr. Louboutin himself (the shoes are pictured above in a screen shot from the episode).  Even though it’s only the first season for the Beverly Hills cast, we already know that Lisa is a Louboutin darling - we’ve seen her wear Louboutins in previous episodes and she even had some pink Louboutins made out of chocolate - and we also know that she has a strong affinity for the color pink (I can relate).  I couldn’t find these particular shoes, which are fuschia satin with a crystal-encrusted heel, anywhere online.  However, as I pointed out in my last post, the crystal Louboutins are typically much more expensive (even for Louboutin) and I’m guessing this pair is likely in the $2,000-$3,000 range.  If you have the funds, you may want to inquire about this shoe at a Louboutin boutique, but if you want something pink and sparkly in your life for much less, you might try one of these shoes:

These shoes are still quite a splurge and much lighter in color, but I have to admit that I melted a bit when I first saw them - total princess shoes.  This is the Giuseppe Zanotti E16130 “Barbie” pink glitter pump and you can get them at Endless for $550 with free overnight shipping.  Update: This is a less expensive style to check out: the Chinese Laundry Hot Hot in blush for $69.95 with free shipping at Zappos.

Here’s a similar pair for a bit less, the Butter Cleo pump in pink glitter.  It’s $286 with free shipping at Amazon (in most sizes).

Go for a bolder shade of pink with the Betsey Johnson Iridescence, which is $150 with free shipping at Zappos.

Keep the shine contained to the heel like Lisa’s pair with the Martinez Valero Ozzie, which have a look-alike pattern on the heel from another Louboutin pair, the Christian Louboutin Eugenie.  Get these for $129 at martinezvalero.com.

The Bordello by Pleaser Violette-14 is pink, covered in rhinestones and available for $123.95 with free 2-day shipping from Endless.

A final option that I found is the Lauren Jones Zinger pump, which has a more exaggerated texture that almost looks like confetti.  Endless has this pair for $109 with free overnight shipping.

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I’ve definitely been in holiday shoe overdrive lately, checking out all things shiny and pretty for the feet, and the Jimmy Choo Crown is another example of a pair of shoes that would be a great evening wear option.  The two-tone metallic color of these glitter pumps could certainly work well with a wide variety of looks and they’ll also add a nice dose of shimmer.  You can find the Jimmy Choo Crown at Saks Fifth Avenue for $695, which is actually not a bad price for Jimmy Choo (at least relative to something like the exorbitant $2,495 Jimmy Choo Niagra…whoa), but it’s still out of the realm of possibility, cost-wise, for many of us.  If you want a less expensive pair with a similar look,  here’s another option:

This is the Enzo Angiolini Sully and it’s available at Nordstrom for a fraction of the price at $88.95.  It’s also a plus that this shoe is sold in a wide variety of sizes (4-12) and 3 different width options to help ensure the best fit.  If you prefer a closed toe version, check out the Enzo Angiolini Smiles for $94.95.

Note: If you order at Nordstom and spend over $100, be sure to apply coupon code HOLIDAY10 for free shipping.

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If you love the light and airy concoction known as the Christian Louboutin Canon 140 chiffon bootie, or the similar Christian Louboutin Canonita, you’re definitely not alone.  Multiple celebs have been seen wearing these styles - Jennifer Lopez, Hilary Duff, Lea Michele, Katherine Heigl and Jessica Biel, just to name a few - but all that sheer goodness comes at a high cost.  The Canon 140 is available in black at Barney’s for $1,295 or in nude at Luisaviaroma for $1,095 and the Canonita 140 is available in white at Net-a-Porter for $995.  If you’re looking for a less expensive sheer bootie with ruching detail along the front, these lookalike shoes will provide maximum exposure for the feet, but for a whole lot less:

The black version of the Steve Madden Damsell has a dot pattern in the fabric similar to the Canon 140, making it a closer lookalike, but I’m really liking the contrast found in the distinct black and champagne version:

It also comes in purple and each are available for $109.95 at Steve Madden.  Apply coupon code Rmn15f to get 15% off and free shipping, which makes them $93.46.  The expected ship date is 11/15.

The Chinese Laundry Haylie shootie is available in black or bronze for $89 at Shoes.com.  Coupon code VISA takes 20% off, making them $71.20, and free shipping is included (coupon may require Visa payment).

The Chinese Laundry Haylie in blush (or black) is available at Shoemall for $89.95.  Coupon code VISASHOEMALL takes 20% off until 11/30 (may require Visa payment) or use SPECIAL15 for 15% off (expiration unknown).

For a similar style in red, try the Nine West Exposure for $88.95 with free overnight shipping at Endless.  It also comes in black.

Hope everyone has a fab weekend!

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