If The Shoe Fits…

I’m endlessly fascinated by people’s collections.  I understand the psychology of collecting, because I do it myself!

I recently visited a friend of a friend who is crazy about shoes.  She throws out words like “dazzling!,” “gorgeous!,”  “true works of art!”  at the mere mention of shoes.  And once she showed me her shoe collection, I was pretty gaga myself.  Apparently, she’s had a love for shoes since college, when she would save all her money for that next great pair.  She confessed that she spent more on shoes than clothes, because, for her, shoes make the outfit.

When she and her husband decided to renovate two years ago, she painstakingly video taped her old closet , counted her shoes, created plans and drawings for at least a year, then doubled the space.  She credits Eiseland Builders of Glenview with achieving every one of her closet desires.

They include back to front double spaces for her beloved shoes, a built- in velvet seat where she could put her shoes on, a major purse nook (they’re organized by color), and a secret jewelry closet that doubles as a full-length mirror.

As I wandered around her closet like I was in a candy store, she pulled out the piece de resistance- her new Manolo Blahniks.   Marie Antoinette jewels on the toes…the perfect kitten heels.  Yes, I get the allure, as I stroked the suede like it was a rare animal…

Actually, what prompted my  interviews with shoe collectors was a recent article in the Chicago Tribune:  “Cultural shift:  Men are the new shoeaholics.”  We pretty much knew that women were afflicted with this illness – but MEN?

The guy collector I talked to has a closet full of cool Nikes.  Not just any Nikes…so I asked him if I could dig a little deeper into his shoe obsession… and into his closet.

Apparently he started collecting shoes when he first joined a basketball team at 7 or 8 years old.  His mom bought him a pair of Nike Air Maxes, which he wore to school every day.

Custom Air Max 90s – with the name of his son and dog.

You should see his eyes drift to the distant memory of his “Air Max 90s” that were white and black.  That was the birth of his obsession/collection.  He says when he wakes up in the morning and glances at his closet of shoes, it makes him happy.

Today there’s a huge market aimed at  millenials who can now afford to collect the reissues of old styles that have special significance for them from their younger years.  The new/old styles are introduced 3 or 4 times a year.

“There’s a magical transference from the star who wore the shoes to the person who then buys the same shoes,” according to my friend.

Jordan 12 “Flu Game” shoes (Michael Jordan wore the originals one game when he was ill.)

This collector frequents several different websites and apps to stay in the know about upcoming release dates.  Sources such as Nice Kicks.com and Flight Club.com are websites he scouts, and on release dates, sets up multiple computers and iPads, so that he can buy his size instantly before they sell out.   He’s nice enough to buy a pair for his California cousin who can’t compete with the time zones.  

Jordan 11 “Space Jams” (worn by Jordan in the Space Jam movie)

Jordan 3 “True Blues”

So there you have it -two very different types of collectors, but two starry-eyed shoe afficianados who were willing to invite me into their world .  I’m sold on the passion of collectors.  It just reinforces what Iris Apfel once said, “More is more; less is a bore.”