From the Ashes of Porn, Rises the Thigh High Boots..

When she first sent me the Narciso Rodriguez link to these, I was, quite frankly, pleasantly surprised. Especially after the whole Stella McCartney debate, to which I concluded to have no conclusion, because I'd really need to see them on her - but in order to do that, she'd have to purchase. That's really out of the question, so I'd defer to "no." Quite frankly though, I must say they are an edgy an chic design especially with the flat toe and natural folds when worn. But again, at that price range, I would side on a conservative version of same boot, faux or otherwise. Coupled with a simple grey coat, and it's a stunner. The Narciso's have gorgeous panels which flatter the lines giving it a great Jean Grey (Famke Jenson, hellooo..)prop. But its effect does not detract from my previous opinion and would work so well with short dress.

The thigh-high genre is clearly coming into mainstream with a significant chance of looking back on its sleazy past the same way the word "gay" is spoken with such abandon it's hardly derogative (unless purposefully so). On Saturday, the boys and I were catching nightcap at Racks, and there was a group four or five girls hanging out by the first pool table in full view before the bar. One of the girls was wearing a black dress, black tights and thigh high boots. Average height for an Asian girl, and she look good. Dom and Justin also agreed she looked appropriate, with no more than a nod of approval, in fact. No snide remark, no raised eyebrow. Instead, and while the connotations are clearly there, I'm glad to see that its presence in a bar, at least here in HK, is not flushed with gasps and cut eye the way it would have been in '97.

On the contrary, the wearer appeared to be quite the popular girl - amongst girls, all of whom were asking the most obvious rhetorical question, "How much?" A question answered the same way each time with feign mock and tilt of the head implying "More than you can afford, honey." You'd think she'd been draped in fur, what with all the hands reaching out to test the quality of leather, slack jawed zombies cooing in jealousy. As guys witnessing this from the bar, indeed, we too found the copious girl-on-girl attention strangely erotic.

The designers have bombarded the catwalk with them and that's put the boots front and center in the minds of banker chicks all across in Asia, and not too soon amidst this years stellar recovery here. For quality stomps, they will have to shell out over six hundred pounds. However, with fresh cash in hand, the big cats are prowling the Lanes. And the thigh high boots, though not inexpensive, are suddenly within reach and no longer just a halloween prop; and this, in itself, is a declaration to the rest of the peasant-kind, that she has reached another significant milestone closer to being the city's richest, hottest, most awesome bitch of all time... kinda like Jean Grey.

The Perfect Halloween Costume

Of the four Octagon girls on the UFC roster, I'd have to say Arianny is the hottest. She's pretty much in every single episode of the Ultimate Fighter, and it makes me wonder if all Vegas girls look that good. I believe they sell a cardboard cutout with her picture as well. So with a little digging, I found the perfect Halloween costume for the gf. Actually, I think you could walk into any club in HK wearing that on a regular summer night and no one would blink an eye.. well, maybe you'd need a hoodie.

Extra Absorbent

This showed up in my mailbox today. It must be the resurgence of grandma threads, cuz while I don't normally mind a level bust line, when designed in combination with a flat crotch line (not to mention WIDE) - well, quite frankly, it looks like over-sized diapers for senior citizens. My eyes are burning.

Tomorrow's Grandma Bag

Here is Butterboom's review of the new Dior bag. It's very tai tai friendly, and it would appeal to the tai tai aspiring 20 somethings, but I'm not a big fan of the "Cannage" embroidery, hand stitched or not. It's borderline grandma bag and I wouldn't be surprised if each purchased included a half-eaten pack of Fruitella chews buried at the bottom, and that is perhaps its most redeeming character. Oh, I'm all for retro, I'm just not sure if this is the best pick for the look. But if I were forced to choose a color, it'd probably be the black; if you're going to go understated, you'd might as well make it classic. The embroidery is probably more effective as a branding tool than an actual mark of quality. But I guess that's not for me to decide.

Under the hood

When I first saw them at Lane Crawford, the Nike Cole Han Joint venture to make comfortable heels struck me as a really good idea. It was a few months ago, but I remember deliberating over an example with the rubberized heel and reinforced sole. "If I were a chick, I would buy these in a heartbeat," I muttered to myself. Overhearing my zeal, Jo was quick interject with a "they're okay, I guess. kinda cool. look a bit heavy." I guess so, but guessing from the heft, they couldn't be any heavier than a pair of runners. More importantly, I thought they look really really - not baaad.

Surfing their site now, it's obvious they're making a kiling out of high quality comfortable shoes that you can wear everyday. It's just a pity that most of them are also really boring. And it's a pity because, I think there is actually one pair in there that'd otherwise be a nobrainer. However, since the majority of them fail on making any impression at all, I reckon this "absence" damages the overall brand value, giving just enough reasonable doubt to step away from the display case. But this is me comparing high street to main street, so I digress.

The point is not the overall trend towards comfort, but more importantly, the overall trend towards innovation. The front rubber sole on heels now is something I see everywhere, and while I am going to miss hearing the feminine clacking of leather soles, I think it's pretty awesome to have this technology available. Specifically, I find it really cool that the tapered architecture of the rubber sole saves the entire intention of the heels from looking too macho, too heavy, too fake - instead, it appropriately savors the feminine lines that allow for a "light on toes" image of the wearer - a massive contrast to the cloggy platform heels still prevalent in excellent porn and Guy Ritchie movies. Rather, it cleverly keeps the all that was good (the height and the comfort), and took away the bad (the tartiness, cheapness, and in some cases manliness) It's really really cool.

What's even more cool is seeing the evolution in some genuinely high quality sophisticated brands such as this one I've never heard of until now. Uterque has a very promising lineup of comfy but quality boots and standard heels, and they too have implemented the reinforced cushioned sole.

I love heels. I love watching my girlfriend strut around in them, how they force a napolean complex on me when we hit the town on Friday. But I also know they hurt, and she even sports cracked a tooth as a commemorative scar from the last battle. And so it makes perfect sense if she could walk the catwalk without shaving years off her life. Stomp away, I say. Stomp away.

The Case for Cheap Choos: Analysis

Over the past several weeks, I can't remember a conversation that didn't in some way allude to the impending JC for H&M sale this morning. And up until last night, when asked about their opinions of the lineup, girls have generally responded with a shrug and a sniff, something to the effect of, "M'eh. It's H&M. I dunno. It's alright, I guess." And while online critics have done nothing but drape the preview in adoration, my first impressions were not entirely positive. In fact, I admit calling them cheap at one point. And I feel some remorse at this statement only because it has connotations unbecoming of H&M's demographic. They are, after all, mass market. However, I have since changed my mind, because the past 24 hours have changed the very fabric of the lineup itself.

Most of the girls I know - those yuppy, maternal, and downright crazy, in their innate state of contradiction, can't help but patronize the ungodly dilution of the Choo brand, whilst privately obsess and salivate at what is clearly a good deal. Granted, I do find them cheap, because they are indeed inferior quality to that of regular choo shoes. Imposters to the throne, absent are the "little things" that make great Choos. The seamless threading, the "made in italy," the delicious trim and occasional hardware are to some extent missing.

But consider this: I cannot count the number of times I've stood one foot in the door way and one foot out the store muttering obscenities over the RE-DONK-ULOUS skyrocketing prices of high street shoes. They have easily doubled over the recent years for quality which has only marginally improved. Since when does it cost HK$7000 for quality? Honestly. There is something subconsciously unnerving, and almost sinful that tugs away at the heartstrings and shortens our breath when we toy with the temptation to just say "fuck it," I'll buy em now. Call it the voice of reason or what have you, but it saves us from shelling out rent money. And while granted, they are hand made, one could make a very compelling case of modern technology that has bestowed us with accessible luxuries like silk weave knits and linen-denim hybrids. So to say that they are CHEAP would be the same as acknowledging they are indeed a bargain. You still get the leather soles, the excellent curves native to Choo sole design as well as an impeccable flare for originality; but you don't have to pay the outrageous price.

On the other hand, everyone will know that they were the H&M version of the real thing. Again, imposters to the throne. It is a seething contradiction between societal bitchiness from those who could not wake up at 6am because they didn't want to look like the 16 year old wannabees and the genuine thrill seeking bargain hunters who truly know better. But what's wrong with that? What's wrong with wearing affordable luxury? Nothing - they'd tell me. But at the same time, would you wake up at 6am just to try em on? Oooh there's still a rub!

There are two more value-added points about this lineup: 1) they are limited edition, and 2) the hype and obsession alone has elevated them to what could be the most recognizable collection of 2009. Anyone with half a brain who sees someone from half a kilometer away with a pair of these will recognize them as the flagship electric blue heels, and it will trigger the memories of mass hysteria - and remember that they themselves could not find a pair for their life, not after 11/14. The shoes themselves have developed a legacy. And it is in their affordability in juxtaposition to their traditional brand value that drives their inherent value to explode overnight. Rolex experienced the same phenomenon with their Daytona (116520).

Rolex doesn't make much margin off the stainless steel because there are no precious metals, and so these units are released in limited supply. The limited supply coupled by the groovy "cheapness" of the watch (without sacrificing quality) lead it being an eventual icon for Rolex. It is now a staple in any serious watch collector's arsenal.

I'm not saying the electric blues will increase in value every year for the next 100 years, but in the near term (ie. for the fiscal season), they will be the hottest items and hardest to acquire heels bar none. This is the case where fundamental valuation goes out the window replaced instead by consumerist elevation. My one caveat is that there is a very slim chance that H&M's strategists forecasted for monolithic proportions, but considering this is more of a marketing push for Jimmy Choo rather than a profit generator, I suspect they are hoping for higher sales in their other lines while customers have been driven into their trap, and those unfortunate enough to come away with nothing will be compelled to make the best of their experience by buying the first trinket in sight.

Even as I check ebay now, the electric blue heels went from starting bid prices of $138 just an hour ago when I started writing this entry to $289 now - more than 100% in capital appreciation. You'll also note, that none of the other shoes in the same collection have shown the same level of price spike besides perhaps the black versions. I'll also point out that just an hour ago, there were 100 products listed selling products from this line, and now there are only 54. And the U.S. market has not even woken up yet. I expect that number to jump as stores in the U.S. open but then to fall as the affluent buy them off EBAY without revealing their own obsession to the 6am civilian.

My sister is on her way home now with her haul after wading through the mayhem of tai tais and teenagers at the Central, Queens Rd. branch. The lineup for the shoes rippled and folded inside the store and out the doors, a chain of sweaty and stressed out women clutching desperately to their treasure - batting away scavengers pretending to be harmless and friendly strangers. I have no doubt, she will come home with tales of glory and adventure.

Passing the baton

We had breakfast at the Landmark cafe with mother this morning, off to a start with some poor excuse for sibling bickering, and after some 'cooling off' time, Jojo brought up the Project Pep contest, "Jimmy Choo 72." The photo contest insists on some metaphoric link between shoes and the magic number 72. (hours required for the PEP vaccination to be effective to prevent AIDS). I respect and even applaud the collaboration between Elton and the JC team, but I can't help but wonder if this was sad excuse for a marketing mishap. We suspect with some degree of conviction, that the Saatchi-esque creative team were caught left-footed one morning after a heavy night of jaager-bombs and eight balls, celebrating the World Series of Poker finals no doubt. When asked for the omnipotent vision for Project PEP, they must have banked on their plan B, made of such a precarious situation, ran straight for the hammer, broke the red box with "break in case of emergency," on the glass and read from the script: "Bob, I've got an idea that will change the paradigm: We'll have a photo contest and poach the best ideas from our customers!" .

"Brilliant," the president replies. "Make it so!" Off they go, warp factor 7.

For a return ticket to Paris, 7 pairs of shoes and 2 handbags, it makes for a compelling incentive to dust off that old Polaroid. I've seen the a few of the submissions, while there are a handful of gems, most resemble the creased man-handled pages of a Sears catalogue. Shame on them shallow folks, clearly they have no concept of craft nor vision and want nothing more than a free ticket to Paris. I think I will head to the local primary school and hold a little contest myself. Winner gets a free lunch at MacDonalds. >;p