“I love femininity. I think the stiletto emphasizes the beauty of the leg,” says Italian shoemaker Cesare Paciotti, speaking at his newly redesigned Madison Avenue flagship store. “Even if a woman doesn’t have a high heel, she should walk on her toes because it will give the effect.”
Paciotti has been in the shoe biz since the early ’80s, when he transformed his parents’ manufacturing company into a private label. And while he started with a men’s-only collection, he quickly realized his calling as a stiletto savant. The shoe guru says it’s hard for him to remember his first women’s design, but he’ll never forget his first ad campaign.
“The photographer was Ellen von Unwerth; the model was Carla Bruni. The show was a slingback with a little square toe and a really thin – maybe 10-cm-thick – stiletto heel,” he says with a smile, running his hands through his perfectly styled silver hair. “There are so many photos of us backstage too, somewhere in Milan.”
Paciotti’s fall collection includes Rihanna-approved hot pink T-strap platform sandals (she wore the white version to the VMAs); multicolored, layered suede patchwork platforms with a cone heel; and 1920’s flapper-style heels. The collection hits stores this week.
For your inner geekette: Tonight, T-Mobile and Google celebrate the launch of the G1, the world’s first commercial Android phone, with a VIP party at Skylight. The gadget, which hits stores on Oct. 22, fulfills nearly every nerd-phone-fantasy – 3G, touch-screen, full keyboard, trackball, video-playback, 3-megapixel camera, digital music-player, GPS. But its real appeal to shopping addicts like us. Using the built-in ShopSavvy software, the G1 can scan UPC codes and provide instant price comparisons anywhere you go. We scanned beauty products, books, CDs, clothes, shoes, office supplies – basically anything within arm’s reach – and discovered we get ripped off. A lot. Save money with the G1, $179 with contract, check t-mobileg1.com for more info.
Boot-y call: Botkier does boots – tall, short and somewhere in between. The NYC-based handbag company recently launched its first fringed, pleated, studded and zippered collection of shoes for fall. We love: Xenia in gray napa leather, $725, Jamie in electric blue, $625, and Nikki in grape, $645; all at botkier.com.
Goodwill hunting: Donate a gently used coat or sweater at any Banana Republic store today through Oct. 26 and get 30 percent off your purchase. All donations will be sold at Goodwill retail stores and proceeds will help fund the company’s job training and charitable programs. Last year more than one million people benefited from the partnership.
Just calm down: Soothe dry, itchy winter skin with Eucerin’s brand new Calming Body Wash Daily Shower Oil ($9 at drugstores) – an omega-oil rich, fragrance free formula that’s suited for the most sensitive skin.
Barrymore the merrier: “I’m impressed with young people’s awareness of the issues, but I don’t understand why their voting numbers are so low,” says Drew Barrymore in the November issue of Harper’s Bazaar, which hits newsstands Oct. 21. “That’s got to change,” she says. In the magazine spread, Barrymore wears a “Time for a Change” T-shirt custom-made by Marc Jacobs for the Bazaar photo shoot. When Jacobs saw proofs from the shoot, he loved the image so much he created a limited-run of the shirts for sale – they’re $35 each, exclusively at Marc Jacobs boutiques, with proceeds benefiting voter registration efforts.
Sweet treats (not to eat): This Saturday, meet candy queen Dylan Lauren at Dylan’s Candy Bar (1011 Third Ave.) from 1 to 3 p.m. where she’ll be signing her new Re-Treat line of beauty products – a line of yum-inspired skin care available starting this week at Dylan’s stores and Sephoras nationwide. Confession: The Candy Butter Cream body lotion ($22) made us drool a little.