There is a question that has been on my mind for a while: is there a quintessential Chie Mihara gal?
I finally decided to find the answer to this question after checking out Chie Mihara’s Fall-Winter 2015-16 collection. I’ve covered plenty of her shoes on this blog and many astounded me with their exquisitely worked textures (my favorite is porcelain-like leather finish, see post here), stunning colors, quirky patterns, slightly surrealistic aesthetic, and, of course, the attention to anatomical correctness.
Many of the sandals, booties and pumps have an unmistakable 50s feel, when women took care to look feminine and non-threatening. Now, in the 21st century, Chie Mihara is obviously sending a different message. The kittens she designs for can turn into tigresses in the blink of an eye.
I could go on and on, as there are tens of great models on the Chie Mihara website and online shop. Back to my question about an ideal Chie Mihara customer. There is no doubt about it – the shoes are amazing. They are not cheap (in the 200s and 300s Euro range), but you are certainly getting top notch shoes. The only thing is that I have trouble imagining wearing these shoes outside certain districts of Paris, New York, Madrid, London, maybe Berlin. What I mean is that they are certainly not your every day shoe. They remind me of the shoes that fancy ladies wore on carriage rides and at afternoon tea gatherings. I’m not saying that the shoes are elitist, but they are so full of fashion references and have so much character that they don’t simply fit into the every day grind that most women live in. They require outfits that match them. Maybe what Chie Mihara is doing is inspiring us to lead more interesting and exciting lives, to be bold and inventive. To proudly wear what we like and not give a hoot about what everybody else thinks.
In short, I would love to see a street style fashion shot featuring Chie Mihara shoes. As I don’t own any, this is a call to all the fashionistas who already own a pair or two of Chie Miharas. Please send your pictures! There is so much love, creative energy, and top quality leather put into these shoes, that they deserve to flaunted.
A woman who can successfully pull off a Chie Mihara must command a very subtle balance of assertiveness and femininity. In other words, who are you, the Chie Mihara gal?
