Crazy Platform Shoes

I’m sure every girl has a platform shoe in their footwear collection as they are the most re-designed style that has ever graced the planet.

Platform footwear has been around for a while and thanks to the spice girls and old skool disco’s I invested in my first pair years ago.

A platform shoe is essentially a flat style with a thick sole that comes in many forms, shapes and sizes, and are particularly great for getting that extra height if you’re a bit on the small side.
Platform shoes date back to centuries ago, in the times of ancient Greece they dressed important characters to visually depict authority and importance. In the 1930’s to 1950’s the surge in demand for platform shoes boomed and it was in 1960s to 1980’s when this style became epic. When the design migrated over to Europe, it is thought that they quickly adopted the platform to avoid the grimy muck on urban streets. The platform shoe was primarily worn by women but men also tapped into this trend during the disco fever years.

What is so wonderful about the platform shoe is the fact that there are so many styles available, from espadrilles, oxfords, sandals and even trainers made with soles of wood, cork and other synthetic materials. Regardless of what you pair a platform shoe with, be it a cute lil skirt, shorts or super skinny jeans, rocking a decent pair of platforms will no doubt have heads turning for all of the right reasons.

Platform shoes are extremely versatile and are truly the must have piece for your feet and shoe closet. There are styles to suit all with the array of styles blossoming onto the market from designers.
In celebration of talented designers ramping up on bold fierce statement platform shoe designs, we have selected the top ten most intricately detailed.

1.       Hamster Platforms

At number one we have the analogy of a hamster and a shoe. When you put them together you get a shoe with a platform where a hamster can sit back for the ride of its life, one that I’m sure no ball can touch in terms of thrills.

2.      Elephant Dung Shoes

Closely followed behind in second place is the shoe that is made from the medium of faeces. Yes POO! British artist and designer Isa designed the shoes and entitled them ‘anything goes when it comes to (s)hoes’. We can see he quite literally meant that in his visually perplexing shoe design that you would imagine to be vile and quite grotesque but in actual fact they can be regarded as beautiful in a colourful design.

3.      Gameboy Pokémon Platforms

We were all a fan of the Gameboy at one time or another and yes once you’re gaming, it’s hard to stop. So when a platform shoe comes equipped with a Gameboy that can only mean serious session times on Pokémon or Textres. These shoes have been designed with a stylish wooden platform that enables the wearer to fully channel their gaming passion, making these shoes a result for any game lover.

4.       Invisible Shoe

Any shoe that is equipped with stealth qualities will always be an amazing revolutionary design. This then can be said for these mirrored reflective platforms designed by Brazilian designer Andreia Chaves. The design architecture is impeccable, reflecting all surfaces that are walked on.

5.       Heelless Converse

These platform trainers break all boundaries when comes to traditional trainer design. These trainers just don’t have a huge platform but then pose visual distortions of a trainer with the fact they have no heel. Designer Davide Allieri merges the shoe design of the ‘stripper shoe’ and ‘all-star converse’ pump to deliver a platform shoe that is interesting and visually fresh.

6.    Baby Abacus Heel

Marjolein Stormezand’s designs are perfect for the ‘yummy mummy’ who loves to dress up on a regular basis. These shoes are fully equipped to keep your child entertained with the adornment of a toy; the wooden beads go around on a bar from the back of the platform and around the heel. Children love playing with everything and anything, and I’m sure the toy and shoe merge design will keep them bemused for hours.

7.    The Kanzas Project

By the infamous Alexander Mcqueen these shoes play homage to the iconic film wizard of oz. The shoes have been designed with the inspiration of Dorothy’s ruby red slippers. The shoe design however takes on twist that is revealed in the platform of the shoe which the platform is split in two, essentially giving the show two heels. These shoes are beautifully detailed with intricate beaded embellishment across the shoe with ankle strap closure.

8.    Plant Wedge

These shoes are made of plant leaves that have been crafted into a wedged platform. The design comes from Michel Tcherevkoff, as part of an amazing collection of similar designs named ‘Shoe Fleur.’

9.       Fish Tank Heels

Surprisingly this is one for the men. These shoes ooze disco tech at its finest with their 70’s inspired design, that see a see a fish tank replace the heel of the shoe. Snazzy? They come in a leopard print retro look as well as black and white.

10.    Flip Flop Sandwich

Last but by no means least in the celebration of weird and wacky platform shoe is a platform sandal. The sandal design is essentially a sandwich with layers of cheese, ham, mustard and lettuce adding to the height of the platform flip-flop. At three hundred dollars a pop, it could be the most expensive sarnie going.

There you have it, fashion that can quite easily be deemed as crazy fashion. As for these platform shoes that for sure pack a punch, would you be brave enough to invest in any of these quirky little numbers?