Cinderella Syndrome – Real or Dream?

A  ‘warm up’ post towards the in-depth post about the Cinderella Syndrome exhibition, now exhibiting in Ha’Chava Gallery in Holon exploring beyond the boundaries of stiletto shoes as we know them.So what did we have?The opening on June-18 was hot, just before summer’s hottest heat wave reaches our shores, and there was genuine excitement in the air.The exhibited shoes were fascinating each on its own merit; together they created a colourful, fantastical drama.And there was another drama taking place – the audience! A cool crowd of creative and innovative individuals, proving they understand one or two things about shoes, and who took the concept of “an exhibition” one or two steps forward – into life itself!

 

Maya and Kobi Gutwein

She’s wearing shoes by Shoemaker, where she worked as a designer for two years. Kobi is wearing shoes by Loading which were bought in France.

 

The Guild shoe and accessory design school

Shoes designed  by Maya Gutwein

The shoe relates to the erotic aspects of Rapunzel.

Most amazing: the yellow hair is real! Additional materials: leather upper and a wooden, leather-covered  heel.

Produced by The Guild, Footwear And Fashion Accessories Design School, under the management of Nina Rozin, Kobi Levi, Orit Zaks

Photo: The Guild

Rapunzel’s shoe by Maya Gutwein

Sharon Tal

The designer who brought Maskit fashion house back to life, wearing shoes by Vince

Tal Tsur, the brand’s founder Iota Project ; Iota Project create furniture based on knitted textiles in a technique they have developed. The innovative brand also carries the values of social responsibility. Tal is wearing sandals designed by Theory .

A summer dialogue

Ya’ara Keydar,

The exhibition’s curator, is wearing sandals by Loeffler Randall

Delicate gold straps amid many fascinating patterns

Aviva is wearing pumps by Nine West. A colourful zebra

It’s not about snakes and ladders, but about snakes and zebras! A colourful Hermes bag flits with all its might.

The sculptress Dorit Levinstein with a bag by Issey Miyake. Geometric, clean, complex simplicity. I loooove the adjustable openings along the strap.

Who’s in the pic: Sharon Ziv, a yoga teacher. Most precise: the shell bracelet. That’s the way to go when wearing Zara sandals! In the background Barak Lahav, fashion designer, wearing New Balance shoes.

Me, in a dialogue with myself:

Me: why the hell did I take this picture with such an open aperture? There’s only about 1.5 mm in focus! All the rest is kind of blurry. What on earth was I thinking??

Myself: You’d better learn for the next exhibition!

Me: This is a once in life time exhibition; the moment was snapped and gone.

So here we are, left with Zara with a hint and tint of focus 🙂

More colours; United Nude, Desigual and a smile

Amelia Naaman from Kfar Saba, owner of “Peace Café”. Wearing shoes by Norman And Bella.

Sandals by Norman and Bella

The riot of colour continues: Amelia Naaman is wearing jewelry designed by Ruth Hassan, and holding a bag bought in an exclusive home sale of imported designer’s items.

Shoes worn by Kay Long. Source: unknown and so mysterious. Classically golden.

Kay Long; a golden mystery 

I also met Noa Rubin who exhibited three pairs of shoes. The shoes she is wearing were bought from a Victorian-style website. “I am connected to Gothic style, also in my work” says Noa. And you can also see it in the necklaces she’s wearing: the pink one was bought in the flea market, the black one she made herself; she took apart and re-assembled jewelry items to create her own Gothic fantasy.

Noa Rubin. Her connection to Gothic is her starting point

Noa Rubin. A Gothic puzzle

Bezalel Design Academy;

Noa Rubin; Sacred Pulse

The shoe is created out of and inspired by parchment leather traditionally used for sacred texts. The life force of the parchment itself is reflected in the form and flow of the shoe.

Materials:  parchment leather, sole leather, goat skin, fiberglass, beech wood

Technique: wet molding, sewing, hand sculpting and carving.

Instructor: Eli Ginzburg, Bezalel Academy, Jewelry and Fashion Department.

Photo: Pola Shechtman, Dean Wilson

Noa Rubin, Sacred Pulse

Noa Rubin;Tribute to Alexander McQueen

Materials: goat leather, synthetic cork, natural cork, magic steel clay ,sole leather, karkit fiberglass

Technique: hand sculpting, wet molding, leather coating

Instructor: Eli Ginzburg, Bezalel Academy, Jewelry and Fashion Department

Photo: Noy Biri

Noa Rubin, a tribute to Alexander McQueen’s Armadillo shoe

Noy Biri was also at the exhibition. She bought the sandals she was wearing on-line. ”This was the first time I’ve bought sandals on-line, and I don’t think I’ll be doing it again”. Why? Because I was missing the fun of trying on the shoe, also, waiting for the sandals to arrive from overseas totally drove me mad. I just couldn’t wait!

Noy Biri, experiments in buying shoes on-line

Noy Biri. Straight lines in black and white on soft materials. In the background: Torn jeans. Noy is holding a catalogue of the exhibition printed in a super-limited edition.  Currently the hottest accessory in town.

Dress: Top-Shop New York. Bag designed by Aya Feldman. Ring designed by Noy Biri.

Many desirable items, especially the flamingo-coloured catalogue

Noy Biri; Spanish Dancer

Materials: carbon fibres, beech wood, leather processed from plants, koyo

Bezalel Academy, Jewelry and Fashion Department

Photo: Tal Avisar

Spanish Dancer by Noy Biri

Design: Noy Biri. Photo by Tal Avisar

Rivka Bezalel wearing a dress by Zara. The tattoo is an ancient blessing in Hebrew. Sometimes that’s all you need; a good dress with the right blessing 😉

Rivka with a bag by My Urban Runway

And the crowning glory (in my view) Rivka is wearing shoes by Sutrah designed by Guild graduate Sahar Abu Seif, who made her debut with an original and high quality collection. Sahar presented her final project at The Guild less than a year ago; in my view the project and the presentation were among the most exciting and beautiful that I’ve seen.

Shoes by Sutrah, Sahar Abu Seif

Yasmin Sasson, manageress of Ha’Chava Gallery, who seemed slightly overwhelmed from the many people who stomped to the opening, wearing Bally shoes

Did I like them?? Yes, indeed! A squarish cut off shaped last is a rare bird in these pointed days.

The shoe resonates functionality and steadiness straight from the 1940’s style.

Shoes by Bally

I loved: the mix with the zippered dress

Enter a caption

Oren Rehani: actor and portrait photographer who recently returned after 12 years in Los Angeles, wearing Fly London sandals. What’s interesting? Wide straps and wide buckle in men’s sandals. What’s even more interesting: the edges of the straps are slightly filed down creating a graphic line along the edges; shiny leather versus rough surfaces. Exquisite details, hidden drama.

Sandals by Fly London

Rosario is wearing flip flops by Raf Simons, created in a limited edition. Bought in Fred Segal, Los Angeles

 And what was I wearing? Sandals I designed for Yoopi Shoes

What’s fun about them? Leather manufactured using ecological processes that don’t pollute. Laser cut on the front strap, and really comfortable heel and sole

And why are they photographed this way?? Because I forgot to take a picture of me! I was too infatuated by all that was happening around me. All was so amazing and fun.

Enlightened stiletto shoe

Two final photos of shoes from a totally different aspect – lighting

Creation presented by Rotem Gur of Vas and Crafts: metaphysical glass shoe. How does all this happen? Screening wine glasses on to the wall creates a silhouette of stiletto heels

Why did I love this? Original, and created with lighting, without materials

And it’s even more interesting to see such work from a designer who creates the shoes with her own hands and has mastered the secrets and creation of sandals.

Vas and Crafts. And lights

Through the peeping hole: a kind of romantic dream in a pink fluffy cloud. And what is the outcome of this pink dream? Yep, you are right – Cinderella Syndrome! 🙂 So beware and watch your steps:)