Metal and leather have gone hand in hand for many years, well from what we have seen and thought I mean. But here is something that we have not yet seen, entire metal plates make up the eyelets that hold the laces in place, or the heel cup that hold the back-bone of the shoe and the structure together. The plates are joined at times and nearly half of the shoe consists of reflective metal making. For Fall 2012 we get to witness average shoes that have been fashioned into pieces of art. The first and only time that the metal on men’s shoes was a big trend, was in the 70’s and 80’s.

Louis Vuitton created a unique approach whereby they took dark metal that was reflective and placed it on the toe caps and on the backs of heels. Not only were these shoes made of leather, but fur, crocodile hide and pony hair was incorporated as well. Since Romanticism is in for Fall 2012 the perfectly tailored shoes with metal are also in and different from the tacky metal boots of the eighties.

Another line that incorporated metal into the designs of their shoes was Salvatore Ferragamo. His designs were a bit subtler but definitely incorporated the metal aspect. The heels of the Ferragamo shoes were the focus and the metal strap held the leather monk strap firmly in place. Their use of grey and red leathers complimented the metal accents. Unlike Louis Vuitton, Ferragamo’s use of the glossy trend was a little more discrete and they only used the alloy on the tops of the shoes for one style.

Via: fashioncollections.org

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