The self and the shoes: fashionable curiosities and identity

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1 PAGE1 Theselfandtheshoes:fashionablecuriositiesandidentity SLIDE1/Thispaperisconcernedwithanaspectofthematerialcultureof fashion,whichalsohappenstobeapersonalpassion.itfocusesonshoes, althoughiamherelookingataveryspecificcategoryofwomenshoes:the extreme, impossible to wearshoes.the impossible to wear isanarbitrary term,whichaimstoemphasisetheirunusualdesignthatdoesnotallowusto slotthemintoan adequatesystemofclassification (Baudrillard,2005:1). Therehavebeenextensivestudiesonthewaysinwhichclothesand accessories(includingshoes)areusedtosociallyrepresentandempower(or not)women.furthermore,althoughthefashionphenomenonoftheextreme shoesisnotnew,itisonlyintherecentyearsthattheyhavebecomemore popularbothinthehighfashionandsocialscene.thishasopenedupthe opportunitytounderstandfurtherthepostmoderndiscourse,whichtendsto simulateandexasperatethevaluesandprinciplesofbeauty,powerandstatus. Throughoutthepaper,Iintendtodefinethe impossible to wear shoesand considerthevisualstatements,ifany,madethroughthem,about contemporarysociety,women,theiridentityandtheirfemininity.iwillargue thattheextremeshoesaretheproductsofthesocietyofthespectacleandas suchareveryseductiveandchallengingobjects:theyarecontemporary curiosities,whichconsenttheshiftbetweentheordinaryandtheextraordinary andthereforeallowwomentostepintoavisuallyplayful(butnotnecessarily empowering)fantasy world.

2 PAGE2 SLIDE2/2.Definingtheimpossible to wearshoes Therelationshipbetweenwomenandanewpairofshoescanbevery powerfulandemotional.asanyotherkindofobjects,alsoshoesare meaningfulsymbolicentities.actually,assusanpearcepointsout, ashumans weareabletofeelstronglyandbitterlyabouttheobjectsaroundusandthe symbolicmeaningswhichtheyarecapableofcarrying (1997:2).Thisis becauseobjectstangibly stand forourdeepestdesiresandfantasiesorfor oureverydayneeds. SLIDE3/Choosingapairofshoes,indeed,isaverypersonalact,itisalmosta ritual:theconsciouschoiceoftherightpairofshoescanaesthetically completeanoutfitandhelpustomakeavisualstatementaboutourselvesand thewaywewanttobeperceivedbyoursociety. Shoes,infact,areassociatedfirstandmostwiththenotionofindividuality, startingfromthebasickeyconceptsofindividuality:shoesmaydefine,for example,asocialclass(likeinthepastthechopins)orastyle,orpersonal fashionpreferences. Therefore,shoesnotonlycanbelongedforanddesiredeagerlybutonce owned,anewpairofshoes thatwefeelreally representsus canbe jealouslykept,carefullypackageditintheshoecabinetandpossiblywornand exhibitedonlyinthoseoccasionsconsideredworththepain. Furthermore,shoescanhaveapredominantpracticalordecorativefeature: theirdesigndependsontheemphasisplacedontheirfunctionorontheir style,whichare,however,bothshapedbythecurrentfashiondiktat,which

3 PAGE3 reinforcesacontemporaryneedtonotsimplyto findoneselfbuttoinvent oneself insociety(svendsen,2006:143). SLIDE4/Regardingthis,aphenomenonemerginginthecurrentsceneofhighfashionstreetsistheoneofwhatIarbitrarilycallthe impossible towear shoes.idecidedtocallthistypologyofshoesas impossible to wear,not becausetheyareliterallyimpossibletowear,butbecausetheirprimary featureisnottheirfunctionalitybutthechallenging,extremedesignofthe footwear. SLIDE5+6/Exhibitions,fashionshowsandmorefrequentlytelevisionand showpersonalities(aboveall,thesingersmadonnaandladygaga;theheiress DaphneGuinnessandthecharactersoftheTVseriesSexandtheCity),where bizarreandextremedesigners shoesarestaged,havebecomemorefrequent andcustomers/spectatorsarepresentedwithanunusual,almostendlessand prohibitivevarietyoffootwear:high wedgedplasticshoes,puregoldsandals, shoesembellishedwithpeacockfeathers,shoeswithoutheels,thelobsterclawshapedshoes,shoeswithinvertedheels;shoeswithoutsole,fish like shoesorevenmeatyshoes. Theshapeoftheseshoesisveryunusual,becauseitisdifferentfromthe conventionalideaofshoes:eachpairisalmostlikeauniquepieceofarare museumcollection.theyhavebeenconceived,designedandproducedto expressthedesignercreativity,toprovideasortofpleasure(primarilyavisual pleasure,whichmaystimulatealsocuriosityintheeyesofthestunned spectators)butmorespecifically,tosignalvalueandambitionofpeoplewho

4 PAGE4 wearthem.theseshoesare,inotherwords,asymboloftoday s conspicuous consumption (Veblen,1899). SLIDE7/Actually,speakingaboutcontemporaryfootweardesign,Hueyand Proctorhaveexplainedthatbecauseoftheiruniquefeatures,extreme shoes havethepowertoseduceus,moveusandempowerus.theycanfulfilour fantasiesandhelpustoescapefromreality,possiblymorethanshoesthatfit withinourconventionalstyleandfunctioncriteria (2007:6).Extremeshoes, indeed,arenotmadetofittheindividual.onthecontrary,theyimposetheir shapeandformontheindividuals:theyarenotnecessarilydesignedtomake womenlookingattheirbestorvisuallycomplementtheiroutfit;theyhave beendesignedtomakewomenwhowearthemtolook anddefinitelyfeel andaspiretobe differentfromanybodyelse.theoriginalfunctionalfeatures oftheshoe(toprotectthefeet,toallowindividualstowalkmoreorless comfortablyonhardsurfacesandtovisuallycompleteanoutfit)becomea secondaryoneandtheseshoes,asobjectsoffashionandofconspicuous consumption,acquirenewmeanings(the funny, curious shoe)whichallow themtofitintoanewcultural,spectacularsystem. 3.Thespectacularsocietyandtheplayfulcuriosity SLIDE8/In1967,theFrenchtheoristGuyDebordpublishedThesocietyofthe spectacle,acritiqueofthefrenchsocietyofthetime,wherehediscussedthe modern daycapital,culturalimperialismanditsroleinmediatingsocial relationships.init,deborddenouncedanimage centredsociety,wherethe appearing wascrucialandwhererepresentationshadreplacedsocial authenticityandvalues( everythingthatwasdirectlylived,hasrecededintoa representation,2006:7).

5 PAGE5 CentraltoDebord sworkistheideaofthespectaclenotjustas acollectionof images, but rather as a social relationship mediated by images (2006: 7). Through images simulation, the spectacle emulates reality; it generates a fantasy like world, which supports the creative consumption of images and capitalizesonthembyfocusingonthenewandinnovativecommodity. SLIDE9/Anadditionalfeatureofthesocietyofthespectacleisit'stheideaof play,orrathertheimage/appearanceof ambitiousplayfulness and playful competition.beingplayful,aconceptolderthancultureisatthebasisof humancommunicationandithelpsus,humanbeings,tonegotiatehowwe presentourselvestoothers.hence,itisnosurprisethattheideaof play or beingplayful hasthetendencytobebeautiful,enchantingandcaptivating; playinthesocietyofthespectacleabolisheswhatisordinary,sinceitisdriven bythoseimagesthatentailthe funandspectacularelementandcanlargely bederivedeitherfromacontestforsomethingorfromarepresentationof something (Huizinga,1955:13).Thesefeatures(playful,beautiful,enchanting, captivating)arealsocharacteristicsoftheextremeshoes,likeforinstancein thecaseofbenoitméléard sshoes. SLIDE10+11/Méléardisoneofthefirstandmostsignificantcontemporaryand extremist footweardesignersandinthefashionsceneisknownforhis eccentricgeometrical themedworks,which,accordingtohimare unconventionalbutatthesametimefashionableandwearable.méléardhas created bizarreandaestheticallyabsurdfootwear[whichhowever]manageto satisfytheneedsofacommercialmarket (Huey,2007:109).Hisdesign involvesdifferentexperimentationofcoloursandshapesandreferstothe workofthefifties,sixtiesandseventiesoftheamericanshoes designer,beth

6 PAGE6 Levine.Withinthefashionandartworld,Méléard sshoesareconsideredas worksofartintheirownmerit,sincetheyaredisplayedinseveralart exhibitionsworldwide. SLIDE12+13/Theimpossible to wearshoesareverymuchone off,curious museum likeobjects,whichwestruggletomakesenseofandclassifyproperly becausetheybelongtoaspectacularandplayful worldofobjectsthat changesbeforeoureyes[andhence,ithasbecomealmostimpossibleto] arriveatanadequatesystemofdescription(baudrillard,2005:1).furthermore, askobilevi(aisraeli bornfootweardesigner)explainsextremeshoesarelike awearablesculpture,[whichbecomes]"alive"with/outthefoot/body ( sfootwear creations combinetheessenceofdailyobjectswiththeshapeofshoes ( shoeshavetobe(andhavetobedefinedas)easytorelatebutatthesame time sexy,creative,funnyandinspiring. SLIDE14/Theimpossible to wearshoesare,indeed,stylisticexperimentsof extremeinnovation,whichchallengethefunctionalprinciplesofeveryday shoes,bycreatingadistinctseparationbetweenthe beautiful andthe useful.inthiscontext,designerspositionwomen sbodiesatthecentreofthe spectacle,sothatthebodiesbecomemeansofrepresentation.however,in orderforthistohappen,women sbodymustfirsttobere experiencedby theirownersandmustbeconsidered narcissisticallyratherthanmerely functionally,sothatanew(ordifferentidentity)canbeassumed.onlyonce thebodyisconceivedinthisway,individualscanfreely adornitwithobjects andindulgeonvisual,fashionablerepresentations.

7 PAGE7 TheextremefootweardesignersIinterviewedintheinitialphaseofthe researchinsistedthatthoseshoesaddressalsotheneedsofordinarywomen. Therefore,Iwasinterestedinfindingouttheperspectivesofordinarywomen towardssuchshoes. Iconductedapilotstudyandthroughasetofinterviews(agerange30s; fashionconscious;self proclaimedshoeslovers/collectors,noneofthem workinginhighcouturefashionandnoneofthemownersofsuchshoes)i havebeenaddressingthefollowingquestions: SLIDE15 Howdoordinarybutfashionconsciousandshoes collectorswomen perceivetheimpossible to wearshoes? Howwouldtheyconsumetheseshoes? Wouldtheybeinterestedinusingorowingsuchshoes?Andifyes,how? SLIDE16/Thefashionablecuriosity Fromthediscussions,itwasevidentthattheextremeshoeswereperceivedas fantasy likecuriosities,almostassurrealistasartobjectsthatwouldneeda specificandart educatedaudiencetobeappreciated.participantsinthis researchwere,indeed,firstandforemostintriguedbytheunusualshapesand formsoftheshoes:theplayful,almosttoy likeappearanceoftheshoesmade themquestioningtheimagestheyhadbeforethem.asoneofthe intervieweespointedout,theextremeshoeswere likeavisualjoke whichshe couldnotgrasp;anotherparticipantsexplainedthatalthoughvisually appealingsheexpressedherdifficultyinthinkingaboutthoseshoesina conventionalmanner: Ilikethesepairbut,totellyouthetruth,Iwouldnot

8 PAGE8 evenknowhowtowearthem!.participantscouldnotfindanyofthesought fashionablefeaturesandtheyallusedsimilaradjectives(e.g.curious,weird, bizarre,quirky,funny,happy,confrontational) i todefinetheextremeshoes. SLIDE17/Consumingtheimages Participantsfeltthattheseshoesweretooeccentric(toy like)anddidnotlook comfortableenoughandthatthateveniftheycouldafford,theywouldnot buythembecauseoftheextremebizarrefeatures.however,theyallexplained thattheylikedlookingattheshoesandfeltintriguedbysuchcomplexobjects, whichmergedtheboundariesofartandfashion. SLIDE18/Myshoes,myfantasy:theperformativeidentity Participantsfeltthatbecauseoftheiruniqueness,theseshoeshadalmostthe power tomakethemfeeling coolandeccentric, prettyunique and nottoo seriousaboutfashion.mostinterestinglywomenassociatedtheuseofthese shoestoprivateoccasions,wheretheycouldactfreely,beingplayful,fora shorttime,witharestrictgroupofpeople.theywouldbeabletostep, throughtheseshoes,intoapersonal,funnybutprivateworld,whichdidnot needtobepartofthesocietyofthespectaclebutwhichcouldcertainlybe uniqueandplayful. SLIDE19/4.Conclusions Whenlookingattheextremeshoes,wemaybeconfused,perhapsenchanted, butcertainlymesmerizedbytheirbizarreextravagance.anewsetof curiositiesunravelsinfrontofusandwe,astheviewersofthefirstcabinetof curiosities,trytomakesenseofthesenewitems,byinsertingthemintoa complexchoreographyofmaterialandsocialinteractions(sudjic,2007).

9 PAGE9 Unlikeconventionalshoes,theimpossible to wearshoespresupposea stronger,morenarcissisticre experienceofthefemalebody(imposedbythe designers)andtheyarecertainlysignsofaculturalandsocietal transformation.asdanielmillerhaspointedout, itisnotjusttheclothing[the materialcultureoffashion]thatischanging,itistheothersideofthe equation,theconceptoftheperson,thesenseoftheself,theexperienceof beinganindividual,thatischanging (2009:39). Inthesocietyofthespectacle,welook(orinducedtolook)forextravagant playfulproducts,liketheimpossible to wearshoesthathavethepotentialto liberateourfantasyworlds.however,althoughsuchobjectsconsentashift betweenanordinarysituationandanextraordinary,performativeone,this doesnotnecessarymeanthatcanmaketheusers/consumers/wearerstofeel empowered. Ibelievethatthecharmofthetoy like,curious,extremeshoeslaysonamere visualconsumptionandsatisfaction,whichallowwomentoactivelyparticipate inaprocessofsocialself creation,redefinitionandstabilizationoftheir performativeidentities. Throughsuchshoes,weareinfactexposedtowhatwemaybeintriguedto lookat,perhapsevenattractedto,butwhatnotallofusmaywanttobe. NB: THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS PAPER.PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE WITHOUT THEAUTHOR SPERSMISSION.

10 CONTACTDETAILS: PAGE10 DrAnnaCatalani SchoolofArchitecture UniversityofLincoln BrayfordPool LINCOLNLN67TS i Interestingly,noneofthewomeninterviewedconsideredtheseshoesas daring.