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Spring 2011: Must Have Shoe Trends!

By Sarah El-Annan

 

The changing of seasons is hardly noticeable when living in LA, seeing as our muted weather rarely ever fluctuates. My trend cues generally stream through my feed via Spring 2011 Ready to Wear recaps, Celebrity sightings, and the conclusion of reality TV shows like the Bachelor. As we all brace ourselves for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, I’d like to also herald in Spring 2011s hottest shoe trends – wedges, clogs, espadrilles, and platforms. 

 

I’m a huge fan of wedges because of the comfort factor. They are a staple in any fashion savvy woman’s wardrobe and are famous for their versatility; they seem effort-less and stylish while remaining sexy and making any woman, whether she is short and stubby or long and blessed with Blake Lively length gams, look slim. Some of my favorites are the urban style wedge ankle boots that can really make your outfit fierce or a classic style brown wedge in a mixed leather and suede paired with a maxi dress or cuffed b/f jeans. 

 

                     

     
Next on my spring purchase list are vibrant sorbet colored espadrilles that can add that extra spark to your summer wardrobe and enhance a flirty floral dress or boyfriend jean shorts matched with a slouchy top. Check out the swatches below for some vibrant color inspiration!

                                    

A hybrid mix of both the wedge and espadrille gives birth to the renovated clog that gives you a rustic and sexy look while giving you an extended break from the stiletto. These 70’s inspired shoes can be worn with cuffed white skinny jeans and a gauzy tropical colored top making you an instant leader of warm weather fashion. 

Please be sure to soak in the sun and reap compliments with the fierce platforms in a classic lace up style as well as the wooden platform seen in almost every Spring fashion spread.  

The wedge is a classic and it embodies all the season’s fashion trends: vibrant color in time for spring and summer, comfort and height with creative post modern flourishes, and different textures and materials. You can now begin to skimp on winter lunches and put away your soggy high boots and instead put the money into pampering your feet with a pedicure and bringing ‘em out just in time for spring!

     

WE ARE PROUD TO BE SNOBS

By Nicole Tongson:

Once upon a time, (well, at the end of the eighteenth century according to the Oxford Dictionary as well as many other respected sources), a snob was a cobbler. The shoemaker, or snob was at the very bottom of the social ladder and was known to be of humble origin and lack a title.

Although the word has almost a complete opposite meaning today, we are proud at Eidia Lush to have found our team of true professional "snobs".  They are by FAR the most talented artists I have ever had the pleasure of working with (and I come from a long background of professional art and design, so this is a big statement). 

It seems as though over the past few years, shoemaking has become known as somewhat of a glamorous profession. Students are flocking to design school to become shoe designers and claim they have the chops and skills to make shoes.  I can tell you by being immersed in the industry now for several years that it is far from glamorous.  To be a shoemaker, you have to have patience to the fullest degree.  While feeling the pressure of hundreds of unmade orders sitting behind you, you need to pay very close attention to EVERY SINGLE detail that crosses your eye.  In today's society, we don't understand the concept of patience and NOT rushing, which is why you'll find a lot of true cobblers to be of an older generation.

I took a trip to California last weekend to visit 3 of our main cobblers in the workshop and will be posting some amazing pictures next week of where your Eidia Lush masterpieces are created and how.  In the meantime, if you love the idea of true cobbling being still alive in the United States as much as I do, then you'll love the collection of "cobbler" themed images I've collected from Getty Images below:

Cobblers come in all shapes and sizes, from all countries and cities...the only problem is that it is a dying trade (one which is practically already dead in the United States). Because of the man hours invested in each pair of handmade shoes (for one pair of Eidia Lush shoes it takes more than 20+ solid hours), cobblers can't compete with mass manufacturers from China and other shoe exporting countries.  By buying Eidia Lush shoes, you are helping bring back this trade to the United States.  We are proud to have our team of professional cobblers (or snobs).  Design your own pair of shoes today and support them!