VFILES is always one of the most entertaining and surprising shows of New York Fashion Week, bringing together emerging and avant-garde designers from all over the world and giving them a chance to share their creative visions, whatever they may be. Unlike most shows at New York Fashion Week, selling clothes is sort of beside the point at VFILES. Instead, it's really more about the show itself, and making as big and splashy an impression as possible on the jaded and supersaturated New York fashion scene.
To that end, this season's show featured everything from inflatable evening wear and faux fur dresses for men to colostomy bags full of brown liquid and a My Little Pony miniskirt so short that it looked more like a wide belt than an actual skirt. It also featured a number of very high-heeled shaggy fur shoes, which would have been great in a kooky, isn't-fashion-fun sort of way if only the poor models hadn't been forced to actually walk in them.
None of the models were exactly "strutting it" in the furry footwear, but one model in particular was shakier than the rest from the moment she stepped onto the runway — the long black fur of her shoes just begging to be tripped on as she made her way down the polished concrete floor in her skintight black fur pencil skirt and embellished, yellow fur jacket. Halfway down the runway, she stepped on one of the long black tendrils attached to her shoe and took an epic spill — the kind that gives you sympathy ankle pains.
Of course, being the professional that she is, she quickly got back onto her feet. Then, just two steps later, down she went again!
As the other models formed a human traffic jam behind her, the fallen model took off her shoes and continued her walk barefoot, to which the audience responded with applause and cheers of encouragement.
But just a few minutes later, when all the models reemerged in their looks for the finale, there she was again, wearing those same impossible shoes, and down she went once more.
Thankfully, this time she did not wait for a second tumble to take the ridiculous footwear off and, once again, the audience cheered her as she finished her walk — barefoot, but with her head held high and two unbroken ankles.
Words: Charles Manning
From Cosmpolitan.com
