CONTROVERSY: WILLMEN WEAR HIGH-HEELED SHOES?
Francesco Russo Designer
ABSOLUTELY!
“If high heels became functional again, it would be a shift back to the 17th century – which, when considering the ‘new’ horizons of freedom dictated by modern censorship, would put us on a good path,” says Italian shoe designer Francesco Russo. Currently based in Paris, Russo describes wearing high heels as a for m of transformation. “I personally know what that metamorphosis feels like. The way your body moves, the posture – high heels just make you look and feel lighter.”
This resonates perfectly with his decision to launch his latest A-Gender capsule collection, which includes five shoe styles in sizes from 35 to 45 (Italian sizes). The collection provides an inclusive option for men who may not be able to find their size in elevated heels elsewhere. Russo explains that A-Gender is about breaking down the stereotypes of gender identity, recognising that people’s sense of gender belong ing may not correspond to their sex assigned at bir th. “Society is finally accepting the fact that there’s a difference between the two. I simply embrace this reality and react accordingly,” he adds.
Although high heels have been predominantly associated with women or those who identify as female in the last fe w decades, Russo is quick to point out that there are ever-widening possibilities for men who choose to wear heels. This acknowledgment of shifting societal nor ms reflects a cyclical change that is always present in fashion, whereby items associated with either sex can become displaced fr om their preconceived gender alignment.
Footwear proves to be no different, with the transition tr ickling down to even the most pr imary stages of design. “The transformation I’m talking about is one I witnessed when I w as a kid, while my mother was doing fittings in a small town in Southern Italy back in the 1970s. As the world grew bigger, so did the radius of people that m y vision could reach.”
The barrier between the traditional concept of masculinity and its association with high heels is something that is slo wly being eroded. People who enter the orbit of socially attuned footw ear designers include the likes of Jared Leto, Harry Styles, Kanye West and Justin Bieber. Though the “male” heel is easily differentiated from the thin pointed constr uction of a traditional high heel, it is arguable that it has as much to do with practicality as it does with aesthetics.
Russo is the first to admit the discomfor t of heels. “In the 17th century, impracticality went hand in hand with luxur y,” Russo adds. “But as the years went by, the cultural element became predominant. A discrete, practical style followed the evolving form of aristocracy. What happened is just that fashion followed cultural and societal evolution, just as it is doing now.”
Russo, who chooses to identify as male , is not rash enough to declar e the high heel is cer tain to become a menswear standard. However the fact that he offer s his shoes in men’s sizes allows for the possibility.
Christian Louboutin Designer
PROBABLYNOT
“I don’t think so. High heels for men have been back and for th since the late 1960s but they’ve never truly stayed,” says Christian Louboutin.
When one speaks of high heels, there are few names that spr ing to mind as spontaneously as that of the r evered French designer. In the 27 years since the conception of his epon ymous label and its decadent signature crimson sole, the Louboutin heel has come to symbolise power, status, beauty and, most prominently, femininity. “High heels symbolise the power and pleasure of being a w oman and being able to play with one’s femininity,” Louboutin explains. But how does this consideration fit in with a society that has become incr easingly attentive to non-gender-conforming choices when it comes to footw ear and the reinterpretation of traditionally defined masculinity? Ov er the last few years there has been a significant spik e in the r ejection of gender-segregated marketing, with major b usinesses including Target, CoverGirl, Gap and Acne Studios reflecting this shift through their advertising campaigns. Fashion houses such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton have introduced a crossover of menswear and womenswear to become trailblazers of genderless styling within mainstr eam luxury f ashion. Fast forward to the pr esent and most major f ashion labels have adopted the idea in one w ay or another. Despite these progressions in clothing, however, the same seamless integ ration has not quite mater ialised for some forms of footwear – par ticularly the high heel.
Sneaker culture, meanwhile, has now infiltrated luxur y footwear, targeting millennials and generating four billion dollar s in revenue over the last year. Mostly unbound by gender and propelled by comfort, sneakers have left the high heel in the dust. When asked about the cur rent sneaker craze, Louboutin explains: “The sneaker is the equivalent of a pump for w omen. It often implicates an idea of strength and sexiness. I’ve imagined sneakers since the fir st collection I created for men in 2010, keeping this idea in mind. This story is to be continued this January with a ne w chapter for sneakers I named Run Loubi Run.” Louboutin’s menswear line displays experimentation with height, which he says is something he has al ways considered. “I always did a bit of a heel for men, or at least a bit of a height for m yself,” he adds. Despite being unconvinced about high heels becoming a nor m for men, Louboutin remains open-minded: “Never say never. The sneaker currently holds g round as the shoe nor m for most – b ut perhaps soon, the high heel just might follo w in its footsteps.”