Monday, August 11, 2008
(NEW YORK) Manolos, Louboutins and Zanottis, oh my! Looks like Dorothy's iconic ruby slippers are undergoing a redesign. To celebrate the 70th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz in 2009, Warner Bros Consumer Products and Crystallized Swarovski Elements have asked top accessory and ready-to-wear designers to reinterpret the magical footwear. To kick off Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, The Wizard of Oz Ruby Slipper Collection will debut at Saks Fifth Avenue with a gala event on September 4. The slippers will remain in the windows for a week, and several will be displayed on the 8th floor 10022-SHOE through the 14. Others will surround the fountain in Bryant Park throughout Fashion Week.
A.Testoni, Abaeté, Alberta Ferretti, Betsey Johnson, Botkier, Christian Louboutin, Diane von Furstenberg, Giuseppe Zanotti, Jimmy Choo, L.A.M.B. by Gwen Stefani, Lisa Pliner, Manolo Blahnik, Moschino, Oscar de la Renta, Roger Vivier, Sergio Rossi, Stuart Weitzman, Tibi, and Tuleh all created designs for the collection.
"We are so pleased to be hosting such a creative and innovative tribute to the American classic film The Wizard of Oz," said Steve Sadove, chairman and CEO of Saks Fifth Avenue. "The ruby slippers play an integral role in the film and Saks Fifth Avenue is honored to be the destination for the most celebrated designers and their contemporary take on these iconic shoes."
Those wishing to own these one-of-a-kind masterpieces won't be able to pay with a Saks charge. The collection will appear at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation's Kids for Kids Family Carnival at the Park Avenue Armory Building on September 20. It will then travel to Art Basel Miami Beach from December 4 to 8. In September 2009, the shoes will be auctioned with the proceeds benefiting the foundation.
NOLA WEINSTEIN
