Halo Shoes Blog

Milan's weather is almost exactly like Portland's making the question of what to pack straight forward.  When it's cold and wet here, it'll likely be the same in Milan.  And, like Portland, when the sun comes out, so do the people.  My hotel, being close to the Duomo, makes walking by it a daily event but when the sun comes out on an late winter / early spring day, the Milanese are out to enjoy it.  

This is the Italian version of our mall.  It has the original Prada shop where the luggage was sold in the good, 'ol days when quality was paramount.  They still occupy the same location.  Of course, in Italian fashion, the interior is incredible.  One of the most amazing features to me is the mosaic floor.  It's ornate, colorful and goes on and on with no two tiles the same.  Sorry about no picture.

The view of the Duomo from a side street around the corner from the "mall".

People have asked about the show and it's hard to explain the magnitude or sea of shoes that are shown.  The following picture is just one of many similar buildings.  Even after having come to this show for many years, it's easy to loose focus.

But, the upside is I can always find something new, different, quirky, etc....

Some Parisian shoe friends recommended this line designed by two French sisters and made in Italy - Tuscany area to be more specific.  The whole line was fresh and fun but maybe too forward for what we do at Halo.  Never know.

At the end of the my day, the reward is a good dinner.  You have to work hard to find bad food in Milan and this is one of my most favorite places to eat...

The decor is super ugly 1970's but everything else is great...the place is packed with young romantic couples, families, office colleagues...and me the lone American.  My Italian is horrible so there's lots of point and grunt.  They know me now so there's lots of mock indignation but I always leave full and satiated. Highly recommended by the owner of the hotel I stay at for being one of the best values in Milan.

Hey All...

Just a quick note letting you know merchandise has been marked down further and most items are now 50-60% off.  We still have a pretty good selection of boots and sizes.   

Recently, we received a small order of silver jewelry from a young italian jewelry designer, Emanuele Bicocchi.  The pieces are intricate filled with delicate detail but when worn have definite weight and presence. 

Please join us for our annual end of season WINTER SALE beginning Saturday, December 19. Merchandise will be marked down 20 - 70 percent.  Please remember all sale items are final sale with no returns.

Usual store hours. Usual sale chaos.

I've finally been able to pull together most of the materials and tools needed to allow my first attempt at making a shoe since my class in August.  The biggest hurdle has been sourcing materials and tools (more about this later) which are basically non-existent here in Portland. I'm receiving tools from England and found proper lasting nails in Pennsylvania.  Hand turned hafts for awls are being made in Memphis.   Thread from Maine.  Slowly I'm finding the good sources. 

So, for the first attempt to make a shoe at home, all I've set out to do is simply re-create what I was taught in class.  The shoe is a basic cement constructed lady's pump.  The biggest difference is at class, we were given ready made uppers but here at home, I've had to make my own adding a whole new layer of complexity to the process.  Basically, I've had to learn how to sew from scratch.  This is a totally new experience for me and not without its frustrating moments. Every time I sit down at that machine from hell, it teaches me something new.

Anyway, I went out and found some crazy old 1951 Pfaff flatbed sewing machine:

And taught myself how to sew leather so I could make an upper (right):

The upper (right piece) in its most basic state isn't super complicated.  I think there are about six seams that were stitched but the level of precision is ridiculous.  Take a nice shoe and really look at the seams; especially the top seam.  The stitches are usually tiny, equally spaced, straight, and super close to the edge.  My sewing contained none of those characteristics.  BUT, for a first attempt it wasn't horrible.

I'm glossing over a bunch of intermediate steps but here the upper partially lasted.  Basically, I've attached the heel to the mid-sole.

This is the top view showing the direction the shoe is taking. 

And, this is the basic tool set for doing this type of work. 

More later...

Right now through the end of the year, several "pop-up" shops have been created throughout downtown Portland.  These shops are being set-up to showcase some of Portland's creative talent.  Rachel Ancliff was very kind to offer some space for shoes at her pop-up called Workroom 719. It's located in the old See's Candies shop right across the street from Nordstrom. Of course, I happily accepted and am very pleased to have my shoes next to so much talent. Everyone involved (excluding Halo) are highly skilled artists, artisans, designers, creators, etc. In other words, there's lots to see and touch.

Rachel will be showing an extensive range of clothing she designed for her line called Charles & Victoria. We had a trunk show at Halo and every customer who came in left with something from her line.  All good!

There will be a series of events loosely scheduled including a "pop-up" workshop conducted by Larry Olmstead, the owner, designer, creator of Entermodal bags.  His bags are beautifully designed and will be fought over by the grandchildren when you're gone.  This workshop should be incredibly interesting to anyone curious about how a bag is made using traditional victorian/edwardian (pre-industrial revolution) artisanal techniques.  This is basically the same way a bag like the Birkin would be made. Completely by hand including every stitch. I'll be there.

Check out the Workroom 719's website:  www.workroom719.com.  This is where you'll find updated pictures, happenings and event information.  Please come by when you have the opportunity. 

Scarlet, a very long time good customer, isn't just a crazed shoe addict, but also a talented jewelry maker.  You can check out her blog and website to see what she's up to and what she's making.

Scarlet recently had a birthday, and to help accessorize her birthday attire she decided on an amazing pair of dark brown suede, over-the-knee boots (a personal favorite for the season) from Costume National.  The boots are the perfect combination of being spot on with the over-the-knee look without being hoochie or piratey (both technical terms).  The supple suede, nice mid heel and a bit of platform make these super wearable. 

As ready to wear (RTW) collections hit the runway, the fashion-obcessed are eager to indulge in the visual and tactal delights of each season.  Whether professionally interested such as buyers, journalists, or stylists, or simply looking to feed an insatiable hunger for all things beautiful, we are captivated by these designers who are revered for their ability to delicately balance luxury with realism, and fantasy with practicality.  I can think of no better example of this than Belgian-born designer Dries Van Noten.  The craft of tailoring goes back in his family three generations and his repertoire includes both Men's and Women's apparel and accessories.  His designs are elegantly nostalgic with a worldly tone...and, as we know, his shoes are no exception!   

Style #6670 ($570)

The heel of this particular style, featured in his RTW show, is python-wrapped, which extends down the arch of the shoe.  Also at Halo is a lower-heeled, camel pump and delicious boots!

 We just received absolutely incredible leather coats from Yohan Serfaty.  

 Yohan Serfaty is a French leather specialist and Paris based designer with a promising self-titled label. Debuting his collections only since Spring/Summer 2009, Halo Shoes is excited to share with our wonderful friends and customers three unique styles of women's leather jackets from his FW09 collection--we are one of only four stockists in the United States! 

Serfaty's focus on draping and fine detailing with both buttery soft and distressed leather allows his collection to stand out above and beyond. If you want a modern and refined edge to your look, grace this jacket over just about anything, pair it with your favorite boots and you're set!