TREND WATCH: The Season of Polarizing Style

It is the season of polarizing sensibilities in shoes. On one end there are the minimal forms of 3.1 Phillip Lim, Jason Wu, and Jil Sander. On the other end, there are the styles that are heavy in design – lots of color, jewel detailing, textures, beading, metallics, appliques, embroidery – as in the rich detailing in the Balmain collection. Younger designer labels like Aperlai, Chrissie Morris, and Zoraide feature mega platform shoes with chuncky heels blocked in rivaling colors for spring. Some border on an emergence of the psychedelic styles of the 60s, aggressive in colors and patterns. Others are more modern in treatment and attempt as in the Jill Stuart platforms and the Yves Saint Laurent loafer. Dual textiles used, multiple colors added but the technique can still appeal to a minimalist.

The question frequently posed to leading shoe designers is whether platforms are here to stay or are we seeing a phase out of the style with the coming seasons. The spring 2012 collections negate both possible answers to this question and it may just be the same as asking ready-to-wear designers if the minimalist collections are over. You can no sooner tempt Tilda Swinton to wear a Betsey Johnson frock and tell the avant garde style leader that minimalism in fashion is dead.

Brian Atwood said this to Fashionista.com on the permanency of the platform heel:

But I think they’re [platform heels] here to stay, especially for women because they’re so used to being put on these pedestals. Everyone’s wearing them and it’s hard to walk into a party and you feel so short. I feel short!

He also adds:

I think that nowadays it’s not about one thing is right, one thing is wrong. Women will always have a platform in their wardrobe.

And when the sky high style also gets the psychedelic treatment, we get superbly bold trends in shoes for the more is more gal.

But a cleaner, minimalist shoe does not only include a single sole. The conservative collections include the single sole, whites found at the Jil Sander and the Devi Kroell collections, or the polished designs at the not-so-conservative Alexander Wang collection – not only in clean flat forms, but in wedge-cut heels as well. But Celine’s spring collection also includes uber platforms for the conservative house proving that platforms are a matter of preference.

Some designers navigate the duality of the trends exquisitely combining multiple colors to simple modern structures as found in the Derek Lam or the Cole Haan collections. The classic woman will find pops of color and modern designs in these collections. The platform, cutout wedge designed by Casadei and Marni carry a minimalist sensibility but in a bold way.

The spring collections acutely fall in one of these categories. But it leaves us with the following question – Are the young designers more riskier visionaires and leading the trend in dangerously bold styles?

View the bold and minimalist styles of the spring 2012 collections below.