Designer footwear is height of fashion

KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
Fashion fans are moving up in the world -- literally -- this summer and fall. Platform shoes, reminiscent of the 1970s, are getting higher.
Following up on the European shows that ended earlier this month, the New York Times compared some designers' footwear to the corkscrew torture chambers that Venetian courtesans wore in the 16th century.
They reminded reporters of clogs that geishas still wear. Platforms were as deep as 6 inches. And wedges were equally challenging.
The styles came from designers such as Vivienne Westwood and Salvatore Ferragamo. The shoes have appeal, as do stilettos, because they make the legs look long and sexy, of course. But they do not fare well with foot doctors and orthopedists who maintain that shoe-related injuries increase along with their popularity.
As the Times notes, the heels were so high at Westwood that Naomi Campbell went down. And while models tottered down the catwalks, they kicked off the shoes as soon as they were out of sight.
That tells us something.