Review: Art & Sole

Summary: A Spectacular Selection of More Than 150 Fantasy Art Shoes from the Stuart Weitzman Collection

When Stuart Weitzman opened its first boutique on Madison Avenue, its displays of specially commissioned fantasy shoes quickly became a destination, drawing crowds form all over the world to its magical windows. The best of this carefully curated collection is on display in book form for the first time in this unique gift volume, where these imaginative creations are presented in vivid detail. With its inventive and beautifully crafted footwear in a vast range of materials—from watercolor paper to playing cards, from fresh flowers to frosting—this stunning showcase where fashion and fantasy meet will thrill shoe and art lovers alike. -- Harper Design

I know it seems like we've just finished celebrating the holidays and New Year's, but Valentine's Day will be here before we know it; and I think I've discovered a terrific gift idea for the art and/or shoe lover in your life. It's called ART & SOLE by Jane GershonWeitzman and the photography is by Lucas Zarebinski. The book is absolutely gorgeous and so much fun!

Jane Weitzman is the wife of shoe designer Stuart Weitzman. In ART & SOLE, Ms. Weitzman has presented 150 fantasy art shoes made of some pretty unusual materials like feathers, paper, metal, flowers, and even frosting. These shoes are some of the ones that were commissioned for the windows of the first Stuart Weitzman retail shop on Madison Avenue in the mid 1990s.

I adore shoes so this book is right up my alley. Each page features a very unique "shoe," and one is more gorgeous than the next. It's difficult to pick a favorite because each shoe is special in its own right. I have looked through ART & SOLE a number of times, and I find a new "favorite" each time. Some of the ones that are most memorable for me are the shoe made of playing cards and poker chips, the shoe made of yarn, and the ones representing The Wizard of Oz.

I also appreciated that in the back of the book, there are specifics about the various artists who have created these shoes. I enjoyed learning about their work, and it was even fun to check out a few of their websites.

Not only are the images inside wonderful, but this book cover is special too. It's bound in a lovely red fabric cover with gold text and even has pages with gold edges. The shoe on the front is actually raised too. I just think it's a beautiful book that would look perfect sitting out on a coffee table.

Just take a look at an excerpt from the book to see how amazing these shoes are:

ART & SOLE is a wonderful book for shoe and art lovers alike, so keep it in mind for Valentine's Day gift-giving.

Thanks to Paula Rosado Public Relations for providing a review copy of this novel.