Chic Galleria » shoes

Leopard Print Love: Beverly Feldman Designs

Kaitlin Vocker — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:21:55 +0000

The animal print obsession, especially leopard, is in full swing this season with spots and stripes embellished on shoes, tights and bags everywhere. It’s no surprise that whatever designer the celebrities are wearing, women flock to the store and drain the racks almost immediately. But what about the everyday woman who can’t afford to buy trends that fly in and out, especially season-by-season?

Designer Beverly Feldman (pictured left) tells us to ‘be free to buy leopard’ without worry. Leopard has become a staple that, while it might leave for a little bit, will always be back! This winter, Beverly Feldman has gorgeous designs that are absolutely affordable and sure to keep you in style and up-to-date on the latest trends. From flats to booties, these designs are different than any other on the shelves this season. With added bows, leopard, and studs, these designs are the hottest shoes out there!

From left to right:

Merlot Pump Leopard Hair Calf, $135 (Originally $270!)

Studs-N-More Bootie in Black Suede, $145 (Originally $290!)

Devoted-2-U Leopard Pump, $117.50 (Originally $235!)

Devoted-2-U Pump Black Satin, $102.50 (Originally $205!)

Be Low Loafer Multi Fabric, $185

For more amazing designs, be sure to check out www.BeverlyFeldmanShoes.com!

Kaitlin Vocker is a graduate of Louisiana Tech University with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Marketing. In her spare time, Kaitlin enjoys being a freelance writer and a Marketing/Public Relations intern for Chic Galleria Publications, fashion in general, and spending time with her family, fiance, and friends. You can visit her celebrity style blog,www.secretivestyle.com, or follow her on twitter @SecretiveStyle.

Stay Warm & Chic This Winter with Koolaburra

Kaitlin Vocker — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:42:15 +0000

If you are currently trying to find the newest and hottest boots for wintertime, take my advice and check out Koolaburra! Not only are these chic boots lined with sheepskin, but they add the right amount of edge to any outfit! Miley Cyrus, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Kristin Cavallari, and Kim Kardashian are just a few of the many celebrities that have been seen wearing Koolaburra! Wear these and you’re sure to be turning heads and heating up the cold winter air!

Koolaburra “Elena”, $300

Koolaburra “Nadine”, $320

Koolaburra “Veleta”, $299

Koolaburra “Savannity”, $300

Koolaburra “Natalia”, $495

Koolaburra “Sonora”, $230

Koolaburra “Megan Tall”, $245

Photos Courtesy of Koolaburra

Kaitlin Vocker is a senior Marketing student at Louisiana Tech University, graduating November of 2011. In her spare time, Kaitlin enjoys being a freelance writer and a Marketing/Public Relations intern for Chic Galleria Publications, fashion in general, and spending time with her friends, family, and fiance. Her style icons are Rachel Zoe, Brigitte Bardot, and the Kardashian sisters. Visit her celebrity style blog at http://www.secretivestyle.wordpress.com or follow her on twitter @SecretiveStyle.

Rolando Santana Collaborates with Manolo Blahnik for Spring 2012

Blaire Brown — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 10:07:53 +0000

Sarah Jessica Parker—feast your eyes on the newest collaboration with Manolo Blahnik!

For Spring 2012, Rolando Santana will have you falling in love, over and over again, as he transports you to the beautiful city of Florence. Santana has traveled to Florence numerous times in the past, but on a recent trip, it really enforced his true love for Firenze. The most inspirational locations in the city were the Ponte Vecchio, the Uffizi Gallery, and the Duomo, all making up the iconic nature of Florence.

For the Spring 2012 Collection, Santana has chosen a color pallet ranging from white, alabaster, hints of sage, and several shades of tan, inspired by the drenching color of the sun hitting parts of the city at different times of the day. Silk Taffeta and chiffon, textured metallic raw silk, sophisticated prints on silk twill and sheer mesh with embellishments, will certainly have a modern relevance to the renaissance city.

Throughout Santana’s collection, the pieces accentuate the feminine and sophisticated flair of the classic Italian woman. Form fitting sensual pants along with playfully timeless full-skirted dresses and jacketed silhouettes, Santana combines the classic romantic city feel with his modern interpretation, giving women the ultimate perfection between historic and contemporary Florence. Known for his exquisite dresses, Santana continues his elegant draping, asymmetry and exquisite sensuality. “The energy of the city, both day and night; shopping at the market, neighborhood outdoor café to a stroll down a narrow cobblestone Florentine street, were all inspiration to me. I think of women I design for and how I see them in different parts of the world,” says an enthusiastic Santana.

This season, Santana collaborates with the iconic Manolo Blahnik, whose luxury shoe brand is made exclusively in Italy. The shoes will debut on his runway; what a match made in heaven. Ciao bella!

Santana’s Spring 2012 show is scheduled for Wednesday September 14^th at Exit Art. The runway show is by invitation only and set to begin at 6pm.

Rolando Santana is in his 4^th season and is known for his exquisite dresses and is primarily focused on designing with the customer in mind and
creating looks that always make women look and feel their best. His designs have been featured on the pages of WWD, Elle Mexico, Vanity Fair and various international press. Rolando Santana’s design can currently be purchased at some of the top specialty boutiques around the country, please visit www.rolandosantana.com for a complete list.

Last season I attended Rolando Santana’s runway show and the clothes were absolutely stunning! Stay tuned for fashion week coverage at Chic Galleria. I am counting down the days until I see his latest collection!

Perhaps not everyone knows that… curiosities about Italian shoes

Francesca Cortesi — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 07:33:42 +0000

Idolized, photographed and beloved by celebrities and by all of us, the Italian shoes are the joy of all the shoe addicted, but perhaps not everyone knows that…

* The most expensive shoes in the world are Italian. It’s a pair of Giuseppe Zanotti’s sandals, realized in collaboration with Chopard for the last Festival of Cannes.

*600 briolette in different nuances of pink for a total amount of 360 karats. Pink tourmalines and sapphires, diamonds and rubies transform the ankle strap of the shoe in a real jewel, in fact it could be removed from the shoes and be worn as a bracelet.
This treasure was sold by auction during the annual Amfar gala and the revenue of 140.000 euros was completely donated for the AIDS research.

* Marilyn Monroe, Brigitte Bardot, Greta Garbo, Audrey Hepburn, Rita Hayworth and Marlene Dietrich had something in common… the passion for Salvatore Ferragamo’s shoes, and for this reason he is regarded as the “Diva’s shoemaker”.
At Ferragamo Museum in Florence is possible to admire the wooden forms that the master used to create customized shoes for the Divas, as well as some memorabilia. These included the famous pink pumps worn by Marilyn in Cukor’s movie “Let’s make love” (1960). These 9 cm heels gave her the typical sensual walk that drove (and still drive) crazy men all over the world.

* Italian invented perfumed shoes, the Brio Italiano’s ballerinas. These ballerinas are made of recyclable rubber, perfumed with Mediterranean essences and scents inspired by Amalfitans coast.

* The platform is an art and Italian master shoemakers, know how to interpret it. For this reason the MOMA of NY dedicated to the art of Italian platforms the exposition “INNER TREASURES – The secret story of a fashionable platform in Italy”, a celebration of platforms, from 30′s to nowadays.

* In Elsa Schiapparelli’s brilliant surrealistic mind, a pair of shoes could be transformed in a hat.

* The art of Italian shoes could be expressed also with sculptures. The Italian sculptor Graziano Spinosi realized 20 pairs of shoes, realized with poor materials and industrial wastes, and dedicated to 20 famous artists. Spinosi’s “patocche” (that is the name of the work) are a way of interpreting the life of the artist and representing it in a form of a pair of shoes. For this reason Marta Graham’s “patocche” are made of glass mosaic and Le Corbusier’s one are made in reinforced concrete.

Francesca Cortesi – http://simplyfrabulous.blogspot.com

She is an italian blogger based in Stockholm. She is a fashion lover but not a fashion victim, she loves strawberries, high heels, discovering something absolutely unique in a vintage fair and finding by chance new and unexpected places.

After a career in “fashion pr” she decided to leave Milan and open her own blog, to express her personal view on fashion and style. She is always looking for new designers, new talented bloggers and histories that she can tell using images or words. Follow her at http://simplyfrabulous.blogspot.com

Photo credit: Antidote Magazine, The Denim issue. Ph. Thomas Lagrange

Nike Grind…Reuse Your Shoes!!

Michelle Lehman — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 05:21:56 +0000

Oh my goodness, this is the coolest thing ever! I just learned about this very cool program by Nike ReUSE A SHOE that recycles athletic/tennis shoes in any condition, or any other brand and turns them into sports surfaces! They collect shoes from partnering retail stores and other shoe recycling centers. The shoes are taken apart in three sections. The rubber on the bottom, the sole of the shoe and the fabric of the shoe and they place them onto three different conveyor belts to get ground up. After it has been through the “Nike Grind” they use the material to make running tracks, tennis court’s, basketball courts and play grounds. How cool is that?!?!?

This is from their website to give you better details of the Nike Grind process….

“No matter how your shoes are processed, the end result is the same – three high-quality Nike Grind materials ready to be put back in the game:

Nike Grind Rubber, made from the shoe’s outsole, is used in track surfaces, interlocking gym flooring tiles, playground surfacing and even new Nike products, such as the outsoles of the Nike Pegasus or the Jordan XX3. It’s also used in trim items like buttons and zipper pulls.

Nike Grind Foam, made from the shoe’s midsole, is used as a cushion for outdoor basketball and tennis courts, as well as futsal fields.

Nike Grind Fiber, made from the shoe’s fabric upper, is used in the creation of cushioning pads for facilities like indoor synthetic courts and wood courts. “

Maybe now would be a great time to organize your shoes!

Author Michelle Lehman of Organizing Solutions “Clear the Clutter” Michelle is a Professional Organizer in the Tulsa area. Her articles have been featured in the Tulsa World, The Oklahoman, Chicago Sun-Times and The Chicago Post-Tribune. Michelle appears on TheNewsOn 6 KOTV and Fox23 News This Morning giving organizing tips and recommendations.

This article was strictly Michelle’s opinion and was not sponsored by Nike.