把鞋子輪廓喻作為女性的特質，在當代通常都顯得不太合宜。例如把細長的鞋跟，形容作女體的性感；又或者把鞋型的韻味，描繪成女性的嫵媚；諸如此類的形容，難免讓人覺得陳腐老氣，文章作者也肯定是個食古不化的老異男。
然而前陣子在A Beautiful Store閒逛時，店內陳列著好幾雙Steve Mono的鞋子，其中碰上了圖中那一雙以緞帶綁腳的鞋款，讓我久久不能移開目光；外形不浮華，內斂低調卻又玩味盎然，忽然想到如果用這雙鞋子，比作為當代都市型女性的氣質，似乎也不為過？
「那是我們心目中，現代女性的塑形之一。」A Beautiful Store的店主Wallis說道。
It is no longer appropriate to compare the shape of a shoe to the shape of a woman. In the old days, it may have been common practice to describe a woman’s figure as being the shape of a Stiletto heel, or that the elegant shoes personify a type of seductive female charm. Such descriptions are vulgar, corny, have no place in the modern world, and are used exclusively by creepy old men.
A while ago when I was browsing in A Beautiful Store, I came across some Steve Mono shoes that were on display. In particular, there was this pair with ribbon shoe laces that caught my attention and I could hardly take my eyes off them. This pair of shoes is nothing extravagant. In fact, they are very low-key and subtle. However, there is a genuine sense of playfulness in them. An idea suddenly came to my mind: Maybe it is ok to compare this pair of shoes to the contemporary modern women?
“That is one of the many representations of modern women that we have in mind,” said Wallis, the owner of A Beautiful Store.
Steve Mono成立於2007年，是來自西班牙的鞋靴品牌，其中皮革涼鞋是品牌的標誌式，受到過不少媒體的熱烈關注，然而說到設計主軸時，Steve Mono的重心卻始終在那曖昧的氣質，以及被模糊化的性別界線，她續說：「現代女性在社會上擁有多重身份，不一定是溫柔萬千，也不一定要為人母親，已經沒有很涇渭分明的性別特質。我覺得Steve Mono設計的鞋款中，正正具備這種特質，而且鞋型設計，還能游走在正式與休閒之間。」
這一雙Lace Shoes，在西班牙製作的植揉皮革鞋款，以緞帶作固定的綁帶鞋款，外觀卻顯得不太尋常。綁帶鞋在服裝歷史中的形象，大概是一個「女性特質」深刻的設計，然而Lace Shoes神奇的地方，在於其利用全黑的鞋身與緞帶，以及扁平的鞋身廓型，馴化了綁帶鞋的嫵媚感；加上它不粗不細的緞帶闊度，把緞帶縛在腳和小腿後，形成各種或方或圓、或細或長的「負空間」，帶來一種服飾設計上的縷空趣味。
無論是配裸色的肌膚，配素淡的白襪子，抑或是顏色繽紛襪子都很合適，暗暗地契合上當代女性行走在社會叢林時，那份多元的身份特質，以及可剛可柔的女性輪廓。
Founded in 2007, Steve Mono is an acclaimed contemporary Spanish brand. Its iconic leather sandals have received much media attention. The designs by Steve Mono centre on ambiguity that blurs gender boundaries. According to Wallis, “Modern women have multiple identities. They don’t necessarily have to be gentle. They don’t have to be mothers. There are no more distinctive gender characteristics, and I think Steve Mono’s shoe designs capture this essence perfectly. In addition, these shoes can be worn with either casual or formal attire.”
This pair of lace shoes is made in Spain with vegetable-tanned leather, and the lace-up design gives the shoes an unusual look. Lace-up shoes are traditionally one of the most profoundly “feminine” designs in the history of clothing. Yet, with an all-black body and ribbon lace, as well as a flat body design, the feminine quality of these lace-up shoes has been tamed. Tying the ribbon lace around the feet and ankles forms various “negative spaces” on the skin in different shapes and forms thus creating a sense of organic playfulness in the design that shows upon the foot of the wearer.
The lace shoes go well with or without socks, and if socks are worn, everything from traditional white to vibrant multi-colored patterns look great. The various styles that come along subtly echoes the diverse identity and multiple representations of women in the contemporary world.
A Beautiful Store
3F, 194 Prince Edward Road West, Kowloon, Hong Kong
