The Imelda never ceases to teach me new things about all things shoe related and I always go back thinking that I know it all only for Imelda Matt to teach never to be so presumptuous and cocky.  Raphael Young was one of the lessons Imelda taught me.  A young gun of a shoe maker that is based in Paris, schooled in Italy and also comes from a family of shoe masters, he has been inspired by the feudal Japanese period, by the armor or a samurai warrior...to create these menacing bits of foot coverings.  Perfect for contrasting with the softly-does-it knits that I posted about beforehand....

It's not that the shapes are chunky but everything is cemented down with the use of dark woods, thick materials like elephant, anguilla, napa, deer and python (sob away animal lovers...).  It's strong stuff for the feet.  Having seen them in person at Tranoi, I can also vouch for the claim he makes that every shoe is produced by Young himself from stitch to finish, making him a proper shoe craftsman.   

(Background image from SHOWstudio's Gareth Pugh Insensate project - the film is stompin'...)