Liz de Havilland wearing Leyla designed by Terry de Havilland
Theres a sad story behind the naming of these shoes. There was a lovely little gothic girl who used to buy the big clumpy boots from us when we were based in the Stables Market. She suddenly started to buy this particular style of stiletto heeled platform mule and ordered several pairs in different colours and fabrics. When we asked her sister why she was buying so many of them we were told that she had been diagnosed with incurable cancer – we called this style Leyla in her honour.
This particular pair are one-offs made for Liz for a Halloween do, hence the spider-web detailing and the crystal crosses were meant to ward off vampires!!!
Part of Soles exposed: 21 women in their favourite shoes
(January 2005, Adam Street Gallery, London)
This show featured paintings of 21 women in their favourite shoes, by artist and designer Kelly Sant. Kelly has painted the feet of some of the leading lights of the design and fashion worlds, each clad in their favourite shoes. From design curators, to stylists, to the muse of a 70s shoe designer, each has chosen the shoes that they feel best sum them up. Essentially these are portraits of feet, some defiant, some coy, some strident, some sexual: each painting richly conveys the essence and personality of their owner. Yet each portrait ends at calf level, tantalising the viewer with suggestions of what is not revealed.
photo: Mehdi Teimory
