Boo!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Halloween!

 

 

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Of course, you know I couldn't be content simply posting a handful of images I first came across on the Virtual Shoe Museum. You know I had to dig a little deeper. And here's what I found. These unique clogs and booties are the designs of Dutch artist René van den Berg. As the company profile on pinxit.net tells us,

René van den Berg is specialised in designing and manufacturing unique shoes for professional use in fashion shows, music videos, musicals, motion picture productions, commercials and stage performances.

He provides the knowledge, the design expertise and the craftsmanship, to realise almost any wish in exclusive shoedesign. Some samples of his original ideas and extravagant designs can be found in the gallery on this website.

From 1981 untill 1989 René van den Berg studied to become an orthopedic shoemaker. In 1992 he started his own studio for custom made shoes, which gave him the opportunity to develop his own style and to become an all-round, exclusive and creative shoe designer.

Since then, he is well known for his unique designs, and most extraordinary shoes. René has participated in numerous exhibitions among others ´Die Verlassenen Schuhe´ in the Rheinisches Landesmuseum in Bonn (Germany) in 1993 and ´Voetstukken´ in the Museum of Modern Art in Arnhem (Holland) in 1995. In 1996, real recognition came when he won the Henk Overduin prize for his exclusive shoe designs.

From 1997 until 1999 he worked freelance for the Paris Fashion house Thierry Mugler. He has manufactured the most diverse, exclusive shoes which were used on the runway. Some of René´s creations were used in music videos and commercials. In co-operation with Toornend Orthopedic services he manufactured shoes for the Dutch versions of the musicals, Chicago, 42nd Street and Elisabeth.

In 2000 the shoe designs Artus Duplex and Daidsa were purchased by the city museum in The Hague.

 

Talk about following your bliss!

Here then are the designs above as depicted in his own gallery...and a few other styles that are also likely to give you pause.

Happy Halloween!

 

Hommage á Giger

Irion

Hapexa

 

Daidsa

 

Aradia

 

Terminus Est

 

 

Artus Duplex

Alumania 3

 

 

But the story doesn't stop there. Dig a little deeper in that wonder that is the world wide web and you'll discover these goodies on Mr. van den Berg's own website. Says the artist himself, 

Since the beginning of my career I have been exploring the boundaries of what is technically feasible. 
I feel a great personal drive to innovate. Various materials inspire me to experiment. 
The shape of a piece of jewellery, a plant or the skin of a reptile can trigger me to create a new pair of shoes

I'm loving it. This Halloween post is turning out not to be scary at all. It's rather inspiring and life-affirming, really. Hope your corner of the planet is feeling similarly brightened.

 

 

Laars

 

 

Beauty and the Beast boot created for Joop van den Ende Theaterproducties

 

 

Cork platform styles created in collaboration with designer Jan Taminiau...which you can watch in action here:

 

 

 

 

 

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[On my feet as I blog:  Really? After showing you shoes like these, I'm not about to put a pair of my mild-mannered Clark Kent clogs on display!]

 

 

Comments

[Melissa Krebs]

Trick? Treat?