An Ode to Charlotte Olympia

LONDON–Britt had raved about socialite Charlotte Dellal’s shoe collection Charlotte Olympia, and I had read a few profiles on her in UK glossies, but now that I’ve seen several pairs of Dellal’s shoes close up–at Emilio de la Morena, Henry Holland, and on the designer herself–I’m smitten.

As a sensible shoe person–I own very few pairs of crazy heels, and I wear them sparingly–it’s difficult for me to understand how people can physically bear to walk in many of them. While I appreciate the art of cobbling, particularly Nicholas Kirkwood’s work, I know that even if I could afford those Kirkwood for Rodarte shoes, I would have to put them on display like a sculpture, as I know I would never be able to walk in them, even for a second.

But there’s something about Della’s shoes, something almost accessible–maybe the sky-high platforms?–that makes me think I could pull them off. Yesterday, the designer was wearing a pair of black platforms with a leopard stripe on the platform part of the shoe, and I was convinced I could handle them. At Emilio de la Morena, she designed sky-high suede platform heels with enough straps to support the weakest ankle, and in a rainbow of colors that I’m coveting for spring: seafood green, yellow. At House of Holland, the shoes were metallic and strappy, but again with a sturdy platform.

I might be wedded to kitten heels and flats, but Dellal’s delicious designs are tempting enough for me to step out (pun intended) on my more sensible footwear. If only more US stores would stock her. At least Net-a-Porter knows what’s up.