For my critical review I am going to look at shoe designers Susan Bennis and Warren Edwards, and especially at their, 1989 glass beaded evening slipper.

Susan Bennis and Warren Edwards

Most of their treasured piece where created in the 1980’s and with typical 80’s styles and designs; Susan Bennis and Warren Edwards create elegant shoes and boots. Below is a picture of one of the many great Pop art shoe. Silk faiile pumps with fuchsia toes and turquoise heels with chartreuse ankles and orange outlines. Black and white checkerboard triangles expose the instep of your foot and they are lined in tangerine satin.

I like this shoe because it is the sort of piece of clothing that really stands out, there is a very varied pallet of colours, with attracts the eye, but personally I don’t really believe that these shoes are very practical, in a sense of fashion. I think that you would find that there is a limited number of clothes you could wear with these shoes, although some would argue that this is what fashion is about. Wearing a piece of clothing once, just to get noticed, but nothing to drastic. These shoes seem to be the shoes that you would look at from a distance, rather than up close. When I look at these shoes, I don’t see story or meaning behind them, but I do believe that they reflect the social background, and fashion of the 80’s – loud and outrageous, the colours clash. These shoes are defiantly made for the eighties.

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Now I am going to look more at another shoe, the glass beaded evening slipper. This is a very elegant shoe, for a posh occasion. The slippers have been beaded with 1 large glass bead, and 6 slightly smaller glass beads. There is also a variety of other beads and sequins which leaves the shoe looking silver all over, it is a limited colour pallet, but this has been done to create a more expensive look. This can often persuade the buyer to buy these shoes rather than a silver pair of slippers that contrast with another colour, as this can often look cheaper. Also the beads create a shiny surface and this attracts the eye. The designers have used these techniques to make sure that people are attracted to the shoes and notice them. Looking at the shoe, it makes me feel happy and better about my self. If I where to be wearing these shoes I would feel unique as though the shoes where made just for me, and I would feel like I was wear something of high quality. I think that the use of beads and silver (a precious metal) creates those feelings. I also feel like I would want to touch it, to see if the beads feel smooth or hard, and whether they where cold or warm, even though it is not a material I think that the shoe on a whole is very tactile.

These are the shoes which loo good either from a distance or up close, the catch someone’s eye from a distance and they become attracted to the shoes, the fine detailed work can then be admired from up close. On the shoe there is a symmetrical pattern. Both sides match, going along the shoe, and this create an even, well balanced looking shoe.

It is a practical shoe, as it can be worn and the heel on the shoe is not that high, therefore it is suitable for more people to wear, but there is no back to the shoe. This is obviously a choice of personal taste whether one feels comfortable in a shoe like that.

Unlike other shoes I have looked at in my studies, these shoes do not make me think, I do not see any story or images within the piece, but if the designers had wanted to included such a thing it must be hidden or abstract.

I feel influenced by the designers work, I want to include the use of beading in my work, I hope that this will create an image of quality and attract the eye. I personally would prefer to have more of varied range of colours, and I want to use something bright and an eye-catching style that will intrigue people. I think the idea of having a theme to my work is a good idea, even if there was a story within the shoe, I think that way it becomes more imaginative and people are more likely to e drawn towards it.