SPACE ODDITY

This Hermès sandal looks like what Barbarella would strut to town in when she’s not on an interstellar mission. Zoom in to the graphic heel crafted from transparent, Uv-resistant plexiglass with lacquered finishes – it alone requires a staggering 11 manufacturing stages, three applications of varnish and three drying stages in total. The bulbous sculpture is inspired by the Djerba vase from Saint-louis, a prestigious name among crystal glassmakers in the world that was acquired by the Hermès group in 1995. With a history that stretches back to 1586, Saint-louis is France’s oldest glass manufacturer, and its spirit of innovation is echoed in this Pierre Hardydesigned sandal where artisanal craftsmanship meets a futuristic aesthetic. Enriched with a suede goatskin upper, the globe-like jewel heel evokes spaceships or planets in this cosmic reimagination of Hermès’ 2021 “A Human Odyssey” theme, igniting a sense of wanderlust.