In previous posts we saw the last trends on 2017 runways: stripes and block-heels. We stay to speak about the further two: pearls and mules. Here I would like to rest on pearl-heels.

Throughout the most recent runways many shoe-designers suggested this item for SS2017. According with my love for pearls both in jewelry and in clothes, you can easily understand my interest in this post. Let start from some examples: Casadei and Nicholas Kirkwood ( designers already mentioned in posts, respectively, 0.2 and 0.8) "weared" our SS2017 with pearl-heels, no matter if pencil or block ones rather than into plateau or in the plantar arch. 

To be honest, this trending item walked on Gucci runways already last year. It's anyway in this season that many designers focused their attention on this chic evergreen feature, still including Gucci. Other designers, like Sophia Webster and her Rosalind sandal (495$) as well as Cristian Louboutin with his Cataconico espadrille (795$), inspired to these gemstones for their last collections. For what concerns Nicholas' Kirkwood footwear, this item seems developing further the following patent of this brand: US D740,010 (October 2015) titled "The ornamental design for a heel with studs, as shown and described". 

This "escamotage" by shoe-designers can revolutionize the spreading idea that pearls belongs to chic-rich old women. Recently pearls have been put on clothes giving them that "quid" enough to be unique meanwhile casual-chic. Having now put them on heels of different types of footwear (from heels to boots and boyfriend shoes) can even more change our common thinking about this hard object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk or another animal, such as a conulariid. Stating that the majority of pearls as ornament to shoes may be factory-produced, here below I would like to briefly introduce this to-me-amazing gemstone. 

Just like the shell of a clam, a pearl is composed of calcium carbonate (mainly aragonite or a mixture of aragonite and calcite) in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other shapes, known as baroque pearls (my favoruite ones), can occur. The finest quality natural pearls have been highly valued as gemstones and objects of beauty for many centuries. Because of this, pearl has become a metaphor for something rare, fine, admirable and valuable.

Whether wild or cultured, gem-quality pearls are almost always nacreous and iridescent, like the interior of the shell that produces them. However, almost all species of shelled mollusks are capable of producing pearls (technically "calcareous concretions") of lesser shine or less spherical shape. Although these may also be legitimately referred to as "pearls" by gemological labs and also under U.S. Federal Trade Commission rules, and are formed in the same way, most of them have no value except as curiosities.

Sources: Wikipedia

Now I wanna focus on one of my favourite made-in-Italy footwear designers: Casadei. 

This brand was born in a small factory at San Mauro Pascoli (Italy) in 1958 as founded by Quinto e Flora Casadei. First target of this brand was focused on turists in Riviera. Thanks to the economic boom and the so called "made-in-Italy miracle", Casadeis  have increased production, market and profits in 10 years. Soon this small lab became an enterprise exporting in Germany and U.S.. Today its business growing is up to 20%/year with 16 flagship stores and a pretty new show-room in New York. Its' upon to open shops and corners in Russia, Cina and Middle East. Many worldwide celebrites love wearing a pair of C.'s pumps: to make just few examples: Beyoncè, JLo, Lady Gaga, Jessica Biel, and the Italians Eva Riccobono and Ilary Blasi. Last Casadei patent regards a new ornamental design on the sole of its shoes: a chain (USD730,033, May 26 2015). The State of Arts behind this patent attaches, above all, another interesting Casadei patent on this "chain sole" for heels (USD 657,944, Apr. 24 2012). One of the major differences between these two Casadei's inventions regards the extension of this motif along the sole of the shoes: while in the last one (2015), it seems running along the whole shoe - with predominant use in sneakers as we'll see in a bit - , in the previous one (2012) it appears just in the plateau. Differences between these two, then, are about new and innovative use and distinctiveness of the design. This motif therefore leads all Casadei collections from then on. As already mentioned, in Casadei Sneaker Collection SS2013 the rubber sole recalls this iconic item: "in soft nappa leather or suede, feature distinctive elements such as a hidden 8 centimeter wedge heel and a double face structure, which allows for them to be worn as a boot or bootie". In Casadei New Arrivals - SS17 Collection this motif comes once again. Particularly interesting to me the T-sandals (heirs of the above mentioned patent USD 657,944/2012) in Montana blue (one of SS17 trending colors.): leather heels, 140 mm with 40mm plateau and 100% made in Italy; price: 750 EUR (see pic here). This color leads all Casadei new collection, as shown in the last Insta-video. This blue is so gorgeous that reminds me to the sea where I come from!

Sources: US Patent and Trademark Office; Casadei website; Montana Colors website