Life style
Why the fashion world has a fetish for toes
Why the fashion world has a fetish for toesuring the couture shows at Paris Fashion Week this past January, luxury fashion house Schiaparelli unveiled a new, instantly adored collection of gilded corsets, cosmos-inspired designs and dramatic black-and-white silhouettes. But each runway look was offset with a curious sartorial detail: either a pair of black pumps with gold dagger-like toenails (dubbed “claw couture” on Schiaparelli’s Instagram) or a manicured set of toenails carved into a pair of slingbacks.
Last summer, the brand’s footwear had a similar flourish, featuring a round toe cap displaying five sculptural-looking extremities dipped in gold lacquer — most recently worn by Doja Cat at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards recently the Daniel Rosebery-led French couture house isn’t the only luxury label leaning into an intriguing appreciation for feet.
Over the past year, a range of high fashion designers have been turning to toes for inspiration. In May 2021, New York cool-girl label Khaite debuted its “Berlin slingbacks” — a now-sold out pair of midi-heel sandals which cover only the wearer’s big toe. Milanese brand AVAVAV has meanwhile gone viral for its monster-like toes, from demonic-looking “claw finger” mules worn by Ezra Miller to Doja Cat’s unforgettable chicken feet thigh-highs worn to the 2021 Video Music Awards. AVAVAV’s newest release, “very slimy feet” — a pair of lime green, over-the-knee boots completed with four enormous toes that proved popular despite retailing for nearly $2,000.
AVAVAV’s slime-green boots exaggerate the wearer’s digits for a surrealist effect.gerate the wearer’s digits for a surrealist effect. Credit: Leonardo Casalini
“Designers love to take on a challenge,” said Maria Bobila, fashion editor at Nylon, in a phone interview. “They want to turn something super polarizing and ‘ugly’ into fashion, turning it into a coveted piece.”
For Bobila, fashion’s increased interest in exaggerating our extremities is the logical endpoint of the ugly shoe trend — a sartorial obsession that has catapulted Crocs, Birkenstocks, Uggs and other functional footwear brands to high fashion fame in recent years through a string of designer collaborations.
But the toe trend isn’t strictly limited to new designs. Search interest for the phrase “Maison Margiela Tabi” — a split-toe “hoof” style inspired by the Japanese tabi worker sock that debuted almost 35 years ago — jumped by 66% this April, according to Google Trends. On TikTok, a breeding ground for Gen Z fashion trends, the hashtag “tabi boots” boasts over 17 million views, while “margiela tabis” has a further 8 million. There is also a dearth of content on YouTube dedicated to unboxing these “funny camel toe shoes,” as one Gen Z creator called them.
After Margiela’s tabi boot, toe-centric shoes began to appear in a range of collections by different designers, from Vivienne Westwood’s 2000 “Animal Toe” mules with peach-colored digits to Celine’s 2013 alabaster-white heeled pumps complete with scarlet-painted toenails. By 2018, Y/Project had unveiled a pointed stiletto reminiscent of the tabi silhouette but with a major difference: a cut out that exposes a protruding big toe. But it wasn’t until 2020, when Balenciaga collaborated with Vibram to release a divisive FiveFingers ankle boot, that toe-centric footwear began to make headlines. The boot was quickly endorsed by Rihanna and became a viral sensation.gerate the wearer’s digits for a surrealist effect. Credit: Leonardo Casalini
“Designers love to take on a challenge,” said Maria Bobila, fashion editor at Nylon, in a phone interview. “They want to turn something super polarizing and ‘ugly’ into fashion, turning it into a coveted piece.”
For Bobila, fashion’s increased interest in exaggerating our extremities is the logical endpoint of the ugly shoe trend — a sartorial obsession that has catapulted Crocs, Birkenstocks, Uggs and other functional footwear brands to high fashion fame in recent years through a string of designer collaborations.
But the toe trend isn’t strictly limited to new designs. Search interest for the phrase “Maison Margiela Tabi” — a split-toe “hoof” style inspired by the Japanese tabi worker sock that debuted almost 35 years ago — jumped by 66% this April, according to Google Trends. On TikTok, a breeding ground for Gen Z fashion trends, the hashtag “tabi boots” boasts over 17 million views, while “margiela tabis” has a further 8 million. There is also a dearth of content on YouTube dedicated to unboxing these “funny camel toe shoes,” as one Gen Z creator called them.
After Margiela’s tabi boot, toe-centric shoes began to appear in a range of collections by different designers, from Vivienne Westwood’s 2000 “Animal Toe” mules with peach-colored digits to Celine’s 2013 alabaster-white heeled pumps complete with scarlet-painted toenails. By 2018, Y/Project had unveiled a pointed stiletto reminiscent of the tabi silhouette but with a major difference: a cut out that exposes a protruding big toe. But it wasn’t until 2020, when Balenciaga collaborated with Vibram to release a divisive FiveFingers ankle boot, that toe-centric footwear began to make headlines. The boot was quickly endorsed by Rihanna and became a viral sensation.
Shoes in particular bridge the two worlds of fashion and fetish. Outside of being an accessory to podophilics (those aroused by feet) shoes have long been instruments of both agony and ecstasy in the industry. In 2015, the Victoria and Albert museum in London dedicated an entire exhibition to the idea that physical discomfort has long been an accepted payoff for dramatic and alluring footwear. “Shoes: Pleasure and Pain,” included high-status shoes dating back to antiquity, like an excruciating waifish gold-leaf papyrus sandal from Roman Egypt, worn by the elite.
But fashion has often more directly borrowed from the fetish community, from the London ‘SEX’ boutique Vivienne Westwood opened in 1974 to the corseted black latex looks of Thierry Mugler in the 1990s. And there has been a renaissance of fetish influence in the past year, coinciding with designers’ obsession with toes. During her 2021 MTV VMA performance, Madonna ripped open her camel Burberry trench coat to reveal a leather maid outfit and fishnets. The next day, at the Met Gala, both Evan Mock and Kim Kardashian upped the ante with full-coverage face masks. “Gossip Girl” star Mock paired a black, high-shine bondage mask with his Thom Browne suit, while Kardashian’s now-infamous outfit black morphe-looking-suit was created by Balenciaga. Last fall, during Richard Quinn’s London Fashion Week show, drag queen Violet Chachki wore a cinched dominatrix catsuit and mask down the runway — complete with a submissive companion crawling in-tow. Many designs first debuted on the runway typically trickle down into more commercial retailers, with harnesses sold at H&M and corsets anointed as one of the biggest trends of 2022.–BBC
Institute of Hospitality Sri Lanka
The 32nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the UK-based Institute of Hospitality’s Sri Lanka Chapter was held recently at the Ramada Hotel Colombo,.The event provided an evening of camaraderie , reflection of the past and present achievements,setting new benchmarks for the future
The AGM had the presence of two distinguished guests, the Chief Guest Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, and the Guest of Honour British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Andrew Patrick. Their inspiring speeches were lauded by all hoteliers who were present at the occasion
A special thanks was extended to Robert Richardson, CEO of the Institute of Hospitality UK, along with his team, sponsors, committee members, and all attendees for making the event memorable.
Dr. Harsha Jayasingh, Past President of the Institute of Hospitality (UK) Sri Lanka Chapter, emphasised the Institute’s longstanding history and the strength of its Sri Lankan branch. “The Institute of Hospitality (IH) UK has a history of 86 years, and we are proud to be the Sri Lanka Branch. IH Sri Lanka is much stronger now with many members from all areas of the hospitality industry,” he stated.
Dr. Jayasingh highlighted the significant role of tourism in Sri Lanka’s economy,. He said tourism it is the third-largest source of revenue for the country. “Tourism accounts for about 13.3% of total foreign exchange earnings and employs 450,000 people directly and indirectly. The hospitality industry in this island of pearl holds tremendous potential for economic growth, job creations, and cultural exchange,” he added.
He also pointed out more women should be attracted to the industry and advocated for the use of technology in hospitality sector to attract the younger generation.
The newly appointed Chairman Ramesh Dassanayake spoke about the challenges faced by the industry, including the reluctance of youth to join the sector. . Dassanayake expressed concerns over the migration of staff between hotels and the overall ‘brain drain’ in the sector. ” We must maintain high standards in the hotel We must try to attract tourists to Sri Lanka, we must have with many facilities Hence, hotel schools and other professional institutions involved in skills development mustincrease their intakes,” he pointed out.
Chief Guest Sajith Premadasa emphasised the importance of eco tourism and said “We need to have an environmental policy related to tourism in place,” . .
The 32nd AGM of the Institute of Hospitality UK, Sri Lanka Chapter, was a testament to the strength and potential of Sri Lanka’s hospitality industry. The insights and commitments shared during the event set a new benchmark for the future.(ZC)
Pix by Thushara Attapathu
Life style
He recognizes human identity beyond boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion.
Visit of Sri Gurudev to Sri Lanka
Humanitarian, spiritual leader and Global Ambassador of Peace Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (Sri Gurudev) was in Sri Lanka on a three day tour on the invitation of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Dinesh Gunewardene. Gurudev who inspired a wave of volunteerism and service to moot one of the largest volunteer-based organisations in the world – The Art of Living – visited the various projects under the aegis of the foundation and launched twelve vocational and technical centers around the island. He was accompanied by thousands of followers from Sri Lanka and around the world.
Gurudev who visited Sri Lanka for the sixth time also had a first day cover launched in honour of his visit. He is a strong proponent of spreading happiness, using the unique Sudarshan Kriya, yoga, meditation and practical wisdom to unite people, empower individuals and transform communities. His programmes provide techniques and tools to live a deeper, more joyous life, while his non-profit organisations recognize the human identity beyond the boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion.
The Art of Living which has more than 30,000 teachers and over one million volunteers across 180 countries has touched in excess of five hundred million people around the world. CNN called it “Life Changing” and The Washington Post headlined it, “Fresh air to millions”.
In Trincomalee, Gurudev met with war victims and had a heartwarming engagement with the children from the children’s homes run by the Foundation. He also visited the Koneswara Temple in Trincomalee and graced the Kumbhabhishekam at Seetha ecogPnize the human identity beyond the boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion. Amman temple at Nuwara Eliya. He held discussions with the trustees on the progress of the foundation’s social service projects, while also holding a special event – Ekamuthuwa – attended by a large number of dignitaries and his devotees from around the world.
His time with the Prime Minister was spent discussing the prospects of unity in diversity and uniting Sri Lanka by adding happiness into the formula of living. In addition he had discussions with the Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, prominent business stewards and civil society leaders.
by Zanita Careem
Envison your dream wedding day come to life at the Epitome Hotel, a prestigious city hotel in Kurunegala offering an unrivalled luxury rendors experience for weddings.
The venue is designed to embody opulence and luxury from all quarters for a spectacular wedding in kurunegala,Thier ballroom is the largest banquet facility in Sri Lanka It can be divided into six luxurious pillarless wedding halls on the ground floor and 25pax smaller banquet halls.
It can be easily named as a five star heaven in the heart of the city contributing to a myriad of immense experiences tailored to inspire and delight wedding experiences.
From opulent décor set up to exquisite table decor, lavish food, every detail is meticulously curated to spark your imagination and ignite creativity for a perfect wedding. The previous prestigious wedding shows season one and season two attracted large crowds
were unique events which gave the wedding vendors and potential clients had an opportunity to connect and interact with each other. Beyond being a showcase it was a chance for the wedding vendors to unite and contribute to the vibrancy of the wedding industry. The wedding show covered all area of the bridal industry providing a comprehensive variety of bridal supplies from Sri lanka and became the most popular bridal exhibitions in Kurunegala.This bridal exhibitions allowed brides and grooms to experience first hand the products and services available from suppliers in Sri Lanka
These wedding shows held at The Epitome created a benchmark and gave an opportunity for vendors to create connections to the utmost satisfaction said Harshan Lakshita Executive Director. of the magnificent Hotel
Our wedding shows featured experts and professionals in every field‘ It covered all areas of the bridal industry provided a comprehensive variety of bridal supplies from Sri lanka and became most popular bridal exhibition in this region.We are always open to everyone to join us at our wedding shows in the future. It is an opportunity to discover the incredible talent within our local wedding and bridal vendors to make meaningful relationships and plan thier special day at our breathtaking hotel The Epitome said General Manager Kavinda Caldera
The Epitome Hotel’s bridal show which will be held end of June will buzz with great ideas,advice and inspiration for all those who plan thier dream wedding
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The Hotel Epitome’s Wedding Season 3 will marked excellence, celebration and inspiration for those in the wedding industry. The exhibition halls will resonate with ideas on exquisite bridal wear to decor, florists , photography etc and showshowcase the rich tapestry of talent within the local wedding industry. .
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