Shoe Celebrations

So it appears it is the year of the shoe - what with it being Christian Louboutin's 20th Anniversary and Jimmy Choo's 15th. After all they are two of the world's most famous shoe makers (most would include Mr Blahnik in that accolade but I much prefer Louboutin and Choo).

I loved the pics I've been seeing of the dedicated windows in Barneys Madison Avenue because they were simple yet evocative of his twisted sense of beauty.

Christian Louboutin Barneys windows - the King of spikes.

Patent Pigalles!

And then there's Mr Choo with his XV collection commemorating his 15 most iconic shoes. I love the iconic shoe idea because once I love a style I'll stick to it so I'm sure many fashionista's around the world are excited by the prospect of being able to get their hands on styles that previously sold out.

My favourite of the icons - Tippi

But most of all, I can't wait to get my hot little hands on both the shoe master's books...I don't really want to wager who is copying who here! Both books, in collaboration with Rizzoli, at least seem to take a different spin. Louboutin's is part biography, part retrospective and of course a beautiful picture book at the same time whereas Choo's is a celebration of his XV collection with many of the photographs by Mario Testino.

A page from Louboutin's book

I think I need to make more room for these two coffee table books...

Images thanks to Racked NY and Rizzoli