The Pure Escapism Party Edit - for Sandra Hagelstam
Life isn’t a fairytale, but these satin pumps and crystal mules are magic – for Vogue’s Sandra Hagelstam
Even the most radical women we know have, at some point in their lives, harboured fantasies of being a princess. Blame it on the Disney movies that were rammed down our throats from a young age, or the lack of alternatives to Princess Barbie on the toy shop shelves. Whatever your stance on the stereotypical representation of women in fairytales, the magic and romance of beautiful ‘princess’ shoes is undeniable. It’s no coincidence that so many of our most-loved and often-told stories contain magical shoes that play a central role in the direction of a heroine’s life – Cinderella’s glass slippers famously catapult her into the glittering world of princes and candle-lit ballrooms. Whilst a pair of Manolos aren’t guaranteed to deliver the same, they are transformative – dressing up in some black satin Hangisis can change you from a housebound remote-worker into a glamorous It-girl. Think of us as the fairy godmothers of footwear and dress for the life you dream of, not the one you’re living (confined to the house, probably fed up), with our guide to the season’s most spell-binding, princess-style shoes.
Luckily, you don’t have to be a princess, or even identify with the wildly romantic (and, let’s face it, inaccurate) version of femininity depicted in fairytales to fall head over heels in love with a ‘princess shoe’. Big on decadence and frills, they resemble the slippers worn by Sleeping Beauty and her sisters – although royal heritage and damsel-in-distress status are no longer pre- requisites for indulging in satin, gilt and diamanté. A love of fabulous, fantastical shoes that defy reality is. Who cares if their shiny satin and glittering jewels are utterly impractical? This is fantasy.
The typical requirements for a shoe to qualify as a ‘princess shoe’ are a satin upper and some sort of crystal embellishment. However, it’s rumoured that modern day princesses will accept Malone Soulier’s gilded mules and feathers as a suitable alternative to diamonds. Unlike the princesses of folktales, we can express our femininity in whichever way we choose – black leather moto boots one day, crystal-encrusted Nicholas Kirkwoods the next. It’s about choice – and one of those choices can be to indulge in the fantasy of a pair of royal blue Manolos. Jewel tones and satin are are the starting point for most princess shoes. Spool heels, crystal brooches, pearls and embellishments complete the regal line-up.
The speed with which Amina Muaddi’s coveted pumps sell out proves that there are many women out their with an appetite for unapologetically feminine shoes. For those that aren’t quick enough at the online checkout, they are the stuff of myth and legend. Elsewhere, Aquazurra’s PVC Temptation 105s with teardrop crystals put a subversive spin on the archetypal glass slipper, and Roger Vivier’s eye-wateringly expensive but breathtakingly beautiful Diamond shoes are enchanting. We might not need prince charming to resuscitate us from an afternoon nap with an unsolicited kiss these days, but a pair of princess shoes is guaranteed to revive your wardrobe and make you feel fabulous. Hopefully this edit, fit for a princess, helps.