Ballet & Bolts: Thank You, Alexander McQueen

Today, I received the link to this Interview post, penned by Ana Finel Honigman. Yet again, I'm overwhelmed by Alexander McQueen's distinct vision, particularly when designing unrivaled accessories.

McQueen's Titanic Ballet Pump, from the Spring 2010 collection, is an incredible piece: on one hand, the shade of soft pink leather is perfectly in sync with a ballerina's first pair of slippers, and yet the platform is reminiscent of the box of a pointe shoe. And then, of course, there's that heel... made of hardware.

Honigman acutely points out, "Few non-dancers watch The Nutcracker and think about hip replacement surgery, which is why Alexander McQueen's Titanic Ballerina pump has such uncanny erotic allure. Its overtly sexy silhouette is like a direct flick of the finger to death, decay and the consequences of decadence."

I think she's on the mark. But since art is open to interpretation, I have a slightly different reading of this shoe: the stunning heel is an obvious nod to architectural grace, and with all its parts revealed, it seems like a piece of the Eiffel Tower was glued to the bottom of a ballet shoe. Beauty has taken two forms, one is the effortless charm of the the pink ballet shoe, and another is the intricate - and almost frightening - mechanical elegance of the heel. The Titanic, heralded for its technology and unsurpassed luxury, is a prime example of mankind's hubris inciting nature's wrath. Check out McQueen's full Spring 2010 collection on Style.com - man vs. wild seems to be the central theme.

But over-analyzing aside, I can't get over these shoes. Maybe it's because I was a ballerina in my teens? I don't think I ever felt cooler than when rocking a leotard, tights, and pointe shoes (I'm quite the dork, I know).