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To wear them or to display them as sculpture? This is the dilemma posed by the extraordinarily sculpted heels in the Alexander McQueen Spring Summer collection, which reveal the inherited creativity of Sarah Burton.
If ever there was any doubt in the ability of Sarah Burton - the loyal right hand woman to Lee Alexander McQueen and his successor as creative director at his label - to replicate the sheer creativity of the late designer, those fears are dashed with a look at the remarkable accessories in her Spring Summer collection. The shoes, in particular, are spectacular: with heels artfully carved into elaborate foliage, and some topped with handcrafted, life-size butterflies, they go beyond footwear and into the realm of sculpture. Indeed, the gold versions recall the nature-inspired creations of Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne. At £2,300 per pair, they are also given gallery-like prices. We say: buy these as artworks, display them as such, and the cost can be justified. (After all, fashion as sculpture is something of a recent trend: see our feature on Victoire de Castellane’s jewelry on sale at Gagosian gallery, Paris). Start your collection fast: the butterfly shoes hit stores mid-March and waiting lists are already in operation.