Salvatore Ferragamo Museum on-line

The Salvatore Ferragamo museum is in the beautiful city of Florence, Italy. Dedicated to the works of the "shoemaker to the stars" and founder of Ferragamo, the museum houses shoe exhibits, pictures and vintage films dedicated to the firm which was founded in the 1920. Salvatore Ferragamo started as a humble shoemaker who ended up designing and making shoes for Hollywood luminaries such as Marilyn Monroe, Greta Garbo and Audrey Hepburn. Visitors can now browse through Ferragamo archives as well as book tickets to the actual museum. There is also an opportunity to download famous shoe models, redesign them and send them back to be judged. Winners will have their designs exhibited on a virtual gallery.

Reebok Women's Easy Tone: What every woman needs?

According to the manufacturers the Reebok Easy Tone was designed to fit and function female feet and features all the latest technologies for comfort and muscle-toning benefits. Reebok claim EasyTone technology encourages 28% more toning in the gluteal area, 11% more toning in your hamstrings and 11% more toning in your calves, than any other shoe. The design of this shoe follows others however in the belief minor variation to the walking surface can cause increased muscle tone. Inserts referred to as ‘balance pods’ are placed strategically under the heel and forefoot of the shoes to create what the manufacturer calls ‘natural instability with every step‘, (sic not quite sure what that is?) with the result the body needs to counter balance this action in turn tones major muscle groups. A similar approach in foot orthotic manufacture enjoyed a short vogue in the 50a and early 60s. Known as contra-lateral wedging the heel and forefoot plains were locked parallel with wedges placed on the medial side of the heel and lateral aspect of the forefoot. Whilst some relief of overuse symptoms was recorded the general response was contra-lateral wedging was uncomfortable to wear and subsequently abandoned.

Australian Bootox

Australian fashionista are turning to botox and filler injections for their feet to cope with the fashion for 10cm stilettos. Recent reports revealed many women were paying up the $1500 for elective, cosmetic procedures. Some were having hyaluronic acid (also known as hyaluronan) injected into the balls of their feet to numb foot pain and others with botox injections to cope with pain from prolonged wearing of high heeled shoes. Hyaluronic Acid is a polysaccharide composed of alternating molecules of N-acetyl glucosamine and D-glucuronic acid and is found naturally within collagen throughout the body. It is an important space filling substance and holds water to keep collegan fibres hydrated. Hyaluronic acid has for some time been used topically in creams to rejuvenate skin (epidermis) and is found in many preparatory skin products. Tests have shown intra-articular injections of hyaluronan into the knee can decrease pain and improve mobility in people suffering from knee osteoarthritis. Although well tolerated generally there have been some minor localised side effects reported including bruising, redness, swelling, pain, tenderness and itching. These usually resolve after a few days and to date no long-term side effects have been reported. As a precaution hyaluronic acid gel is not recommended in people with severe allergies. No one is yet sure how hyaluronic acid viscosupplementation works but the resultant increase of viscoelasticity of the synovial fluid appears to play a role. Hyaluronic acid remains in the tissues for a short time (hours to days) but the long term effects last approx. 6 months. Botox injection is now the most common cosmetic operation despite the Botulinum toxin considered to be a lethal naturally occurring substance. When injected in the foot it acts as an analgesic to reduce focal painful neuropathies. All cosmetic treatments are of limited duration, and can be as short a period as six weeks, but can last between 3 and 8 months. At the extremely low doses botulinum toxin has a very low degree of toxicity. Sales of silicone inserts for shoes have also increased as the high heel fashion prevails.

Global imagining: Shoes and social fabrics in motion.

Q. What shoes can you not walk backwards in?

A. Thongs (aka flip flops)

Very much looking forward to reading a new book by Caroline Knowles called Global imagining: Shoes and social fabrics in motion. Caroline Knowles is Reader in Sociology at Goldsmiths College, University of London and has taken an objective biography tracing the flip flop trail from production to consumption. According to the author China dominates the world production of to 'go aheads' (thongs) and regularly moves centres of manufacture according to economics. Thongs are the highest selling footwear and the author writes of her visit to the Chinese plastics factories and the plastic villages which quickly succumb to the sandal making industry. Knowles explores thong making in Ethiopia to uncover the social texture and global social inequalities which exist. She also takes a look at flip flop smuggling undertaken by contrabandists shifting illegal shoes across the border.

Bling Ring brought to book

Four people have been charged in connection with at least 10 burglaries in the Hollywood Hills. Among the star’s homes to be broken in to include Brian Austin Green, Ashley Tisdale and Megan Fox. Dubbed of the ‘bling ring’ the gang of blaggers targeted Hollywood’s elite. So far, other celebrities Paris Hilton, Audrina Patridge, Lindsay Lohan, Rachel Bilson and Orlando Bloom have allegedly had property stolen by the gang. Police believe ‘the bling ring’ are primarily made up of teenage girls from a local school. Police allege the crew took jewelry, designer clothes and accessories, some were later seen wearing pilfered couture, including Fox's T-shirts and Hilton's shoes. Following the arrests at least $2 million in merchandise was recovered by police.

Simple Shoes: Nice kicks

Simple Shoes are biodegradable footwear with sneakers and flip flops made of sustainable materials. The line uses hemp uppers, recycled car tire bottoms and recycled plastic bottles for laces. The shoes utilize only water based glues. The shoes breakdown in landfills over 20 years as microbes eat away at the compounds reducing the shoes to dirt.

Cankle challenged, Barbie

Christian Labouring was commissioned to design three new Barbies to celebrate the doll’s 50th anniversary. When the French shoe designer raised concerns about the birthday girl’s “cankles,” he sparked an international controversy. Louboutin decided to slim down the plastic icon and give her thinner legs much to the chagrin of her fans. In addition to designing the dolls he has produced a hot-pink, human-sized Barbie shoe.

Nike shoe: Gruesome find on beach

Another severed foot has found washed ashore in Richmond, British Columbia last week. This brings the number of anonymous feet surfacing in B.C. and Washington to eight since August 2007. In the past most were wearing adidas shoes but the latest was inside a Nike running shoe (right and size 8 ½). So far no satisfactory explanation has been found to explain the gruesome finds but many believe there must be some sinister reason. According to oceanographer, Curt Ebbesmeyer from the University of Washington however the presence of the feet has a more innocent explanation. Inevitably submerged bodies floating in the water for longer periods will have segments including the feet disarticulate and these are caught in the flotsam and jetsam. Ebbesmeyer was baffled when four right feet were washed up but is more assured now lefts and matches are being washed up too which leads him to believe there is less likely to be widespread foul play. Thousands of people are reported missing in B.C. and Washington each year and some may come to a watery grave either through accident or self harm. The expert in flotsam and jetsam is surprised there are not more incidents reported.

Pedator X:Footballers on the catwalk

The Adidas Predator X football boots go on sale on November 14th and marks the 10th generation adidas Predator conceived by Craig Johnston before selling it to adidas. The design of the latest range were helped by former French international Zinedine Zidane. The new boot has, according to adidas, more power in the kick due to a “powerspine” inspired by Fingersave technology used in goalkeepers gloves. According to the manfacturer the extra leverage to the middle metatarsals reduces the kicking flex in the forefoot area and optomises power to the shot. This is also claimed to help reduce the risk of injury by limiting pressure in the mid foot area. The new Predator is designed to improve swerve in the strike of the ball with the inclusion of a rubber-silicon mix on the ‘sweet spot’. The soft compound provides greater control and accuracy in swerving the ball or so it is claimed. Adidas’s Optifit technology ensures the upper materials are as close to the top of the foot as possible in a good fitting boot. Again adidas claim this creates a natural ball feeling. The new boot is made from Taurus leather (sic not kangaroo skin?) and is available in traditional black/red/white and a new white/black/yellow colour way. The soft ground stud configuration has been changed to a traditional 6 stud set up which still provides maximum ground penetration but with an increased forefoot flexibility. Celebrity endorsement for the new boot include: David Beckham (LA Galaxy), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool FC), Raul ( Real Madrid), Michael Ballack (Chelsea ) and Robin Van Persie (Arsenal ) and Karim Benzema (Real Madrid ). Rather like fashion models they will parading their boots at a stadium near you. But spare a thought for the players at Celtic Football Club who will become fashion models at the up and coming Club Culture event at Celtic Park hosted by the Celtic Charity Fund. Danny Fox, Marc Crosas and Celtic ladies team striker, Karen McInally among others will strut their stuff on the runway to raise funds for The John Hartson Foundation and Breast Cancer Care Scotland. The House of Fraser are providing all the outfits for the night.

LadiesLoveShoes.com

Interesting site" LadiesLoveShoes.com