Cult Shoes

While very few of us can boast a shoe collection to rival that of Imelda Marcos, it’s difficult to deny the mood-enhancing effect of a shiny new pair of shoes. And when a woman goes shoe-shopping, whether for skyscraper heels or wear-with-anything ballet flats, she’s spoilt for choice. Cult Shoes is a lavishly illustrated exploration of the world’s top shoe brands and designers, from Manolo Blahnik to Melissa, Camper to Clarks, and from the eighteenth century to the present day. Fashion journalist Harriet Walker selects 30 famous names that have an enduring appeal or command a devoted following, and recounts the history of each brand and its most iconic designs, among them the scarlet leather Repetto pumps immortalized by Brigitte Bardot in 1956 in ? And God Created Woman and Terry de Havilland’s multicoloured wedges, which have adorned the feet of celebrities since the late 1960s. A must-have for any shoe fanatic, the book also includes a concise illustrated introduction to the history of footwear, and short features on key personalities and lesser-known but influential brands.

HARRIET WALKER writes on fashion for The Independent, AnOther Magazine and SHOWstudio.com. She has also contributed to Vogue, Elle, Glamour and Dazed Digital. Her book Less is More: Minimalism in Fashion was published by Merrell in 2011.