RPT-Dorothy's ruby slippers get designer bling

Tag : fashion slipper

By Jan Paschal
NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Well-heeled fans of "The Wizard of Oz"looking for their own pair of ruby slippers can choose from acollection made by top designers with red Swarovski crystals.
From stiletto heels to platform soles all the shoes from the RubySlipper Collection, unveiled at a party to mark New York FashionWeek, are based on the iconic 1939 Hollywood movie starring JudyGarland as Dorothy. They will be raffled next year to benefit theElizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.
"What we did was ask, 'What would Dorothy wear now?'" Michael Fink,Saks Fifth Avenue fashion director, told Reuters in an interview.
"Then it was like 'Go wild! Have fun with it!' That's the onlydirection we gave the designers," he added.
The collection was commissioned by Swarovski, which donated thecrystals, in partnership with Saks and Warner Brothers and includesshoes by a dozen designers ranging from Abaete to Manolo Blahnik.
Betsey Johnson, who is known for whimsical feminine styles, usedred tulle bows on a platform shoe with chunky crystals.
"Dorothy's a modern girl. She's clubbing. So she's got a downtownfunky shoe with her little anklets," Fink said, showing a displaywindow at the store where a 20-something Dorothy mannequin wore agreen mini-dress with Betsey's ruby slippers to the Emerald Club.
Jimmy Choo designed four-inch red snakeskin stilettos with rubycrystals on the vamp, while singer Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. labelgave Dorothy a pair with red satin ankle bows. Continued...