Every season without fail there is an 'it' something. Be it a handbag, a pair of shoes, a colour, a print or a cut, the fashion industry sifts through the season's offerings and proclaims one item (or style) that will trample the rest and earn a prestigious 'it' recommendation.
For spring summer 2012 it appears the Prada 1950's-esque, turbo-charged, fire bolt lipstick heels are the must have for any participant in the it game. Now please don't feel I'm bad mouthing shoes, and definitely not Prada shoes for that matter! However I just cannot comprehend why this footwear, above the rest, deserves such attention. As I write this I am flipping through the pages of the Bristish Vogue collections supplement for spring summer, and the back page alone (a rather tasty pair of Kurt Geigers) has landed my seasonal wish list far quicker than a pair of Pradas. Whilst I am totally in awe of Prada's wacky design and playful mood, they surely cannot of gained 'it' status for their practicality?!
As a fashion journalist it is my job (and my pleasure) to stack up on magazines and flick through every single one to see what is in favour and what is in the shops. Interestingly, even high street weeklies have caught the Prada bug and have given the shoe a page all in its own right. Almost as a last minute temptation: "We appreciate you can't afford Prada, however take a glimpse at their latest footwear offering anyway and lust after them..."
Perhaps it's purely because one magazine decides these particular shoes are their favourite, another feels obliged to agree and puts the pair on their 'most wanted' list. Either way, the status ripples through the industry like dominos toppling and before you know it the fun, unconventional design is the latest must have.
Having said all of this, I would be most chuffed to own a pair myself. There is a great feeling of achievement and pride when one wears the latest fashionable item - let alone all the envious comments you receive from friends and colleagues! It's a funny emotion as not only will the shoes cost you a small fortune, but fashion turns so quickly anyway it's difficult to know if they'll last even two seasons. I guess that's the joy of buying a highly desireable item and wearing it to death until the fire bolts can fire no more.
My personal 'it' wardrobe for summer so far consists of a white, slit pencil skirt from Topshop (white is another key trend for the season) along with a green perspex clutch from Kurt Geiger and floral print blazer from Zara. Fortunately these three items seem to style quite nicely together in my imagination, however I'm sure a blast of fire bolt/lipstick luxury wouldn't go amiss either.