São Paulo – Natural and synthetic stone should be on the feet of Brazilian women next spring-summer, according to shoe designer Fábio Marcelo Espíndula. He explains that this concern with adorning the feet has its origins in the time of the pharaohs, in which the sandals of Egyptians were made out of hay, papyrus or palm fibre.
According to Espíndula, even pharaoh Tutankhamun wore sandals and shoes made out of simple leather, despite having them adorned with gold and precious gems. "Shoes made out of raw leather, tied to the feet with straps made out of the same material, were also common in Mesopotamia (the region that currently corresponds to Iraq). Boots were symbols of high social class, and some had ornaments in metal and stone, despite being simpler than the Egyptian ones," said the designer.
The historic element served as inspiration for many shoe stylists to create their collections. The tendency for the summer should be for the use of many colourful stones that may be natural, acrylic or made out of resin.
"It is worth recalling that, in the past, stone was only used in glamorous trousers for evening dress. However, they have become almost indispensable and are used on everyday shoes now, like sandals, platforms, dancing shoes and others. In these and other models, stones may be used to cover straps, vamps (the upper part of the shoe, where many stones may be stitched together), platforms or heels," explained Fábio.
*Translated by Mark Ament
