Well Shod, Well Imformed

AND WE’RE OFF…

2010-02-09T09:41:57+11:00

Yesterday the polling booths opened in what has been called the biggest independent footwear award in the world - Imelda’s Designer of the Year ’09.

When asked to comment on what it means to be Imelda’s Designer of the Year, Camilla Skovgaard (D.O.Y ’08) said “It's supertastic exposure to have graced Imelda's site for a whole year, bearing in mind the number of visitors - where else do you get such an opportunity for so long?”

Of course the exposure Skovgaard is referring to is the badge that is proudly displayed in top left hand column of Imelda’s front page for the year.

Unlike other competitions where designers are showered in Euros, Imelda unfortunately doesn’t make ~~a lot~~ any money off her blog (and she isn’t about to pony up her offshore funds) so the ‘badge’ and the subsequent exposure, including a direct link to the winning designer(s) webpage is my humble reward.

Whilst open to all and sundry, the award seems to be geared more towards, and beneficial for, independent and emerging designers, with Skovgaard remarking “just looking at that old photo you had up of me there reminds me a lot has happened since then (winning the D.O.Y award)”

This year the nomination process was heavily influenced by social media with US based Omelle and Brisbane based Australian duo tom gunn rallying their troops, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be any surprises or close calls – some Imeldettes may recall last year’s dark horse, Danish brand Toklum, who after one profile (on Imelda) bitch slapped Nicholas Kirkwood into third place.

You’ll note that voting, rather than on a separate page, is being conducted in the top right hand column of Imelda’s front page – for convenience. We conducted an exhaustive search for polling software that could offer more than 10 nominations but such software isn’t available so like last year the voting is split across two polls, with the winner being determined on the basis of total votes.

From all of those enslaved in the Despotic Queen’s servitude, we wish each designer(s) the best of luck and as she prepares to pass on her crown, Camilla Skovgaard offers the incoming D.O.Y some final thoughts “I hope the new winner will enjoy a good year ahead too.”

QUAND LES BLOGUEUSES S'EN MÉLENT...POUR ANDRE*

2010-02-06T15:32:22+11:00

image credit / Balibulle

She’s a bi-lingual version of Imelda (albeit less acerbic), the Order’s French Field General, a sexy pair of red lips and a good friend of the Despotic Queen’s, but Miss Glitzy aka Frederique now adds footwear designer to her rapidly expanding portfolio of trickery.

In the continuing trend of bloggers teaming up with retailers/designers, the mid-market French footwear label Andre has commissioned 6 high-profile French bloggers to each design a capsule collection for the brand’s S/S10 collection.
Whilst the trend of fashion bloggers designing for retailers is almost passé, Imelda praises the company’s rapid adaptation and evolution of the concept.

By engaging multiple voices with varying fan-bases, Andre is evenly dispersing any potential (financial) risk whilst maximising the positive word-of-mouth with this exciting undertaking.

Miss G debriefed the Despotic Queen on the project early this morning and reported that it’s generating a ‘big buzz’ in the City of Light – not surprising when the combined comment count (from all 6 blogs) is 1000+ and counting.

According to Miss G, the project was initiated last October by the blistering haute blogger Walinette (Beauty And The Geek) and involved fellow bloggers Violet (Sois Belle Et Parle), Coline (Et Pourquoi pas?), Mimnor (Sushi & Pedro), Balibulle and Miss Glitzy.

A clear indication of how far bloggers have come, Walinette reports Andre C.E.O Mr. Feijoo gave the project immediate green light status…Imelda suspects Australian C.E.O’s will take note of Feijoo’s bolshie move, wait 18 months and do the same.

Guided by Andre’s team of production managers, each blogger was given complete creative control over their designs with Miss G revealing when it came time for the bloggers to select which lasts/models they would use there was – much to Imelda’s disappointment - no eye gauging, hair yanking or pillow fighting.

My only concern, why when she knows Imelda HAS a violent aversion to flats would Miss G design a pair….WHY I ask?
*Google Translate - 'When the Blogger Meddle...For Andre'

Miss Gitzy

Violet

Walinette

Coline

Mimnor

I'VE CAUGHT A NASTY CASE OF STOCKHOLM SYNDROME

2010-02-04T14:48:13+11:00

Even after Yum Yum’s full-silkwood scrub, the odious stench of democracy still lingers (like a Cranberry) on the royal personage. I’ve barked orders for everything that was touched during yesterday’s campaign to be taken down to the Krupp and burnt, everything bar Yum Yum!

Ready to get back in the game, I've got my petty pants on and I'm ready to start the shoe talk. Besides, I’ve always thought a woman who wears fatigues is suggesting to the world that she favours certain unsavoury (nah unspeakable) lifestyle choices.

And my-oh-my, aren’t these the shoes Imelda needs to be talkin’ about!

These extraordinary creations were scouted for the Despotic Queen by my eye-on-Europe, Sonny (you will be tasered for omitting such important details…like a name) Vandevelde.

Obviously I can’t offer a lot of information on the designer (yet), other than Sonny's confirmation of his/her ethnicity – Japanese.

Vandevelde spotted the shoes while he was backstage shooting the final year collections at the Beckmans College of Design in Stockholm. Knowing what lifts Imelda’s skirts he despatched word immediately.

The collection exudes a complexity normally seen in Rick Owens’ oft-underappreciated approach to footwear design and I’m been marvelling that the heel on the ankle boots (above) resembles a pre-historic snaggle tooth. However, what really caught mien despotic eye were the two exo-skeleton designs.

I don’t imagine these webbed organism-like feats of engineering are functional (since neither model is holding a pair), it’s more probable these two designs are a conceptual offering whereby the designer is exploring a raw organic aesthetic. But whoever you are you now have the Despotic Queen of Shoes’ FULL ATTENTION – and I'm on the HUNT.

all image credits / Sonny Vandevelde

PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD!

2010-02-04T10:13:53+11:00

Can't Get U Outta Mah Weave / click to enlarge

What an exhausting day yesterday was, and for the first time in her political career Imelda’s game didn’t involve colluding, strong-arming or vote rigging/buying - just good ol’ fashioned door-to-door democracy.

Which I LOATHED.

Why? The adage ‘old dog new tricks’ couldn’t be truer and while my political instincts goaded me into making delusional promises like ‘no child in Imelda’s sweat shops will live in hunger’, these fanciful declarations (made in the heat of the moment) weren’t going to win this competition.

The decision lay in the hands of people beyond even Imelda’s reach, the LuisaViaRoma Buyers.

So with that in-mind, Imelda sought council from the Despotic Eight, none of whom could suggest a tactic that didn’t involve murder, poisoning or bullyboy antics.

So I decided to demonstrate the might of the people (which ironically, is how Ferdi and I were swept from power) and your responses were apocalyptic in their swiftness.

And while all your ‘comments’ and/or ‘likes’ ultimately have no bearing on whether or not the Despotic Queen will be in Paris for Fashion Week (it’s over to those zebra short-shorts to weave their magic) it has confirmed that after 24 years out of office, Imelda’s still got herself a set of mad politico skillz…and without her Imeldettes, she is NOTHING!

THERE’S A BEAR IN WHERE?

2010-02-02T12:56:51+11:00

One of the Despotic Queen’s favourite mid-market menswear brands, Jack London, has teamed up with Danish footwear brand Shoe the Bear to produce a ‘special seasonal range’ of soft-soled leather hi-tops for the Melbourne based retailer.

Of course this isn’t the kind of news that lifts the Despotic Queen’s skirts, nor would it normally rouse my nubs of tyranny to the keyboard - so why then, I hear you cry, am I reporting it?

After reading Susie Mesure’s counter-offensive (Fluff flies as fashion writers pick a cat fight with bloggers) where Robert Johnson, associate editor at the men's magazine GQ, said bloggers “don't have the critical faculties to know what's good and what's not”. Which came hot on the heels of watching Mary Scherpes video On Fashionblogs (to be featured during Berlin Fashion Week) whereby Suzy Menkes made the claim that bloggers are at risk of losing their status as independent fashion critics because PR’s are now bloggers seeding stories.

I wanted to a) post something that was ‘seeded’ to me by a PR company and b) make the observation that after dominating the casual/sneaker market for nearly 6 years the consumer’s appetite for plimsoll shoes (despite several emerging micro trends that suggest we’re heading back to a chunkier 1990’s silhouette) shows no signs of abating!