What Is Fashion?
High-heeled shoes hurt! We already know this. For years we have been hearing and reading about how bad high heels are for our feet. Yet, women continue to wear them despite the obvious fact that they are cleverly disguised torture devices. I think most women know what I'm referring to. You know, those high heels you bought because they match that cute dress. Yes, the ones you can't wear for more than a few hours because they are too painful to wear for anything longer than that.
Torture can take many different forms, sometimes dramatic or theatrical, but often unremarkable and nearly invisible in its cloak of “normalcy” and fashion. The tools and technologies most commonly associated with torture are hardware, such as nails, chains, hooks and screws that can inflict excruciating pain upon the human body. Even common household tools and utensils used for chores like cooking, sewing, decorating or knitting, while seemingly innocuous to many, can subtly torture those who despise domestic duties.
When I think of fashion, I picture a young woman strutting down the catwalk looking confident and stylish in the latest designer clothing and shoes. While some models actually smile, I wonder how comfortable they really feel in those high-heel shoes that are attractive to gaze at, but impractical for daily wear. To me, fashion is not just about looking good, it is also about feeling great. High heels can be stylish, but how long can one feel good when her feet hurt? Stilettos may be beautiful objects, often sexy and eye-catching from a distance. The pain they inflict can be quite insidious. High-heeled shoes hurt, yet women generally buy them for their look, not how they feel. To understand how truly painful a shoe can be, one needs to look beyond its decorative elements; the metal studs, buckles, bows, buttons and multiple straps. These accessories can make shoes more visually appealing, but they also distract us from recognizing the pain they can inflict.
As modern day women, we experience many forms of pain in our lives from multiple sources. Why do we continue to add to our own suffering by designing and wearing uncomfortable shoes? We are not just bystanders in the fashion industry, we are trendsetters! My goal is to challenge women and shoe designers to recreate and redefine footwear styles to reflect style and comfort. Pain and torture, no matter how it is disguised, marketed, painted or accessorized, is ugly and unjustifiable.
Torture can take many different forms, sometimes dramatic or theatrical, but often unremarkable and nearly invisible in its cloak of “normalcy” and fashion. The tools and technologies most commonly associated with torture are hardware, such as nails, chains, hooks and screws that can inflict excruciating pain upon the human body. Even common household tools and utensils used for chores like cooking, sewing, decorating or knitting, while seemingly innocuous to many, can subtly torture those who despise domestic duties.
When I think of fashion, I picture a young woman strutting down the catwalk looking confident and stylish in the latest designer clothing and shoes. While some models actually smile, I wonder how comfortable they really feel in those high-heel shoes that are attractive to gaze at, but impractical for daily wear. To me, fashion is not just about looking good, it is also about feeling great. High heels can be stylish, but how long can one feel good when her feet hurt? Stilettos may be beautiful objects, often sexy and eye-catching from a distance. The pain they inflict can be quite insidious. High-heeled shoes hurt, yet women generally buy them for their look, not how they feel. To understand how truly painful a shoe can be, one needs to look beyond its decorative elements; the metal studs, buckles, bows, buttons and multiple straps. These accessories can make shoes more visually appealing, but they also distract us from recognizing the pain they can inflict.
As modern day women, we experience many forms of pain in our lives from multiple sources. Why do we continue to add to our own suffering by designing and wearing uncomfortable shoes? We are not just bystanders in the fashion industry, we are trendsetters! My goal is to challenge women and shoe designers to recreate and redefine footwear styles to reflect style and comfort. Pain and torture, no matter how it is disguised, marketed, painted or accessorized, is ugly and unjustifiable.
Why Shoes?
As an artist, choosing the ideal medium to convey my message is critical. I use shoes as the canvas for my artwork because they are universally recognized objects. Sadly, however, in some parts of the world, shoes are a luxury. In ours, however, they are a fashion accessory. A woman's shoes can speak volumes about her sense of style, the type of work she does for a living and her current lifestyle.
One of the features I enjoy about using shoes as the canvas for my art is its versatility. If I don't like the way something looks, I can add or remove what doesn't look right, often without even leaving a mark. I have changed various details of my sculptures many times. As an artist, I enjoy the forgiving nature of my chosen medium.
As a young adult, I worked in retail sales for many years, selling clothing and shoes to make a living and to pay for my university tuition. For many hours at a time, I naively stood in excruciatingly painful, but attractive, high-heeled shoes that pinched, poked, squeezed and tortured my feet for the sake of looking professional. Regretfully, the result of all this torture can be seen in my flat feet, hammertoes, bunions, blisters and callouses. My sculptures are a testament to the pain and suffering I endured to make a living for myself. To truly understand a woman’s strength and determination, one must not only walk in her shoes, but stand in them as well.
One could say that I developed a love/hate relationship with shoes. I loved the gorgeous designs and feminine styles. Additionally, the more shoes I sold, the more commission I made. On the other hand, the fancier, more stylish shoes with ultra high heels were just too painful and impossible for me to wear.
Yes, high heels can make us appear taller and create an illusion of having longer legs, but the price we pay to look good for that moment may not be worth it in the long run. Some shoes cause immediate, intense pain, but others cause collective damage over time. Regardless of how attractive a stiletto heel may appear, underneath its decorous facade lies the potential for unbearable pain when worn repeatedly or for prolonged periods of time. It is my belief that any woman who says high heels are comfortable is in total denial of how much pain she is in. Torture in any form is never pretty, but in modern society, women's footwear often proves the adage that one must suffer for beauty.
One of the features I enjoy about using shoes as the canvas for my art is its versatility. If I don't like the way something looks, I can add or remove what doesn't look right, often without even leaving a mark. I have changed various details of my sculptures many times. As an artist, I enjoy the forgiving nature of my chosen medium.
As a young adult, I worked in retail sales for many years, selling clothing and shoes to make a living and to pay for my university tuition. For many hours at a time, I naively stood in excruciatingly painful, but attractive, high-heeled shoes that pinched, poked, squeezed and tortured my feet for the sake of looking professional. Regretfully, the result of all this torture can be seen in my flat feet, hammertoes, bunions, blisters and callouses. My sculptures are a testament to the pain and suffering I endured to make a living for myself. To truly understand a woman’s strength and determination, one must not only walk in her shoes, but stand in them as well.
One could say that I developed a love/hate relationship with shoes. I loved the gorgeous designs and feminine styles. Additionally, the more shoes I sold, the more commission I made. On the other hand, the fancier, more stylish shoes with ultra high heels were just too painful and impossible for me to wear.
Yes, high heels can make us appear taller and create an illusion of having longer legs, but the price we pay to look good for that moment may not be worth it in the long run. Some shoes cause immediate, intense pain, but others cause collective damage over time. Regardless of how attractive a stiletto heel may appear, underneath its decorous facade lies the potential for unbearable pain when worn repeatedly or for prolonged periods of time. It is my belief that any woman who says high heels are comfortable is in total denial of how much pain she is in. Torture in any form is never pretty, but in modern society, women's footwear often proves the adage that one must suffer for beauty.
October 2010, Recycled Fashion Show
The five pieces shown here were displayed at Escondido Municipal Gallery.
Torture, Part I
The three shoe sculptures in this photo were part of the original installation entitled Torture, Part I.
Torture, Part II
The three shoe sculptures in this photo were part of the second installation entitled Torture, Part II.
Torture, Part III
The three shoe sculptures shown in this photo were part of the third installment entitled Torture, Part III.
