United Nude Men SS11 Collection

 

This summer, beside the enlarged ss11 collection, United Nude has premiered their men collection. You'll love them if you have always liked and craved your girlfriend's UN shoes. The United Nude men shoes keep to the original style of the brand. 

First up, there's the hollow heel, applied to a business type of shoe, which might be perfect for men with a little sense of humour, who are bored with regular men's shoes. It's like you have now your very own statement shoes!

 Hollow

For men with a more sporty style, who love abstract prints on a smooth simple lace up shoe, there's the men version of the Universal women style. They come in classic shades, therefore are easy to pair with summery pants, long or short, in neutrals.

Universal Mens

United Nude has also chosen to feature in their men's collection one of their hits: the fold style. Made of fabric in colourful rainbows, the shoes would go with the strong personality of a guy, who likes to stand out and wear shoes with strong designs.

 Fold mens

Like them, guys? Which one would you wear?

photo source: unitednude.com

United Nude - The Complete SS11 Collection

United Nude is a shoe brand that I, personally, respect and appreciate a lot. You might remember me going crazy over their Lo Res shoe in red which reminded me of Dorothy's shoes. Still, for Spring/Summer 11 they have outdone themselves: the collection is so diversified, with so many styles, colours and heights that it's pretty much impossible not to find something to fit your tastes and needs.

What I appreciate so much about them is that the designs are always very original and revolutionary, with a futuristic approach, but in a decent amount which makes them vary wearable. Besides this, it's rare for a shoe brand to take one design and make it in various heights and colours, so that any (pottential) customer would find a style that fits their personal style and prefferences. That's why you will find with United Nude the general design in 3 or 4 heights and various colour combinations. 

So if you're a corageous heel lover, than you might feel attracted to the high ones, with crazy colour combinations. If you preffer only to look at crazy shoes only, but not wear them, then you can always pick the low or mid version of the same shoes. 

Also, if you've fallen in love irreversably with a design, you can buy them in all heights, this way you can wear that design at the office, in the mid version, in the park, in the low version or at parties and fancy events, in the high version. Nobody gets frustrated, pretty genius, right?

The SS11 collection consists of some styles that are already famous, some re-designed in new colours or heights. But there are also some totally new styles with mind blowing designs: Abstract, Haiku, Spike, Tangle and Wedge. 

They are still very fresh and few people wear them. My guess is that when one of the elite fashion bloggers will sport one of these shoes, the same way they did with JC Litas or Finsk, the shoes will be sold out and on everybody's feet. So my advice would be to grab some while there's still time.

 Wedge, which comes in elastic and leather straps, in various colours

Tangle Hi, in elastic straps of various colours

 

Tangle Mid and Lo

 

 Abstract

 Haiku

 

Spike

Next, there's the Lo Res that I fell in love with last year. The design is very innovative and technology plays and important part in it. If you want the details, this is where you can read the story of the project. However, the colours are new: beige, pale blue, green, pink and black, of course. They're a little bit more summery. I love it that the straps which keep them steady on your feet!

Another type of shoe in yummy colours is the Mono. It comes as a Mary Jane wedges and as a flat shoe. The fabric is rubbery, but with a velvet-like finish. Coral has the about same traits, but with an extra design element: the cutouts on each side of the shoe makes them even more appropriate for hot summer days.

 Mono Jane

 

Mono Lo

Coral

Within the rest of the collection you can find ingenious pumps with a weird heel (Eamz), shoes made of elastic fabric in rainbow-like colours (Fold), out-of-this-world wedges (Cosmo and Frame) and mule shoes (if there's someone keen on this style) with an hollow wedge.

Block Pump Hi, Mid and Ballet

 Block Ankle Strap and Ballet

 Eamz Pump an Slip On

X Back and X Back Lo

Eamz Cross and Eamz X Elastic

 Loop Hi, Loop Slingback and Loop Buckle Hi

Frame and Cosmo

 Mobius Pure Hi and Mid

Mobius Slingback Hi and Mid

Universal Lo

Ultra Mobius, Mobius Hi and Mid

Frame Lo and Pure Lo

Fold Hi, Mid and Lo

 Elastic Sandal Hi and Mid

 Shark Mid and Lo

Cup Pure Hi and Mid

 Cup Hi Top and Cup Baggy Mid

Pin Buckle and Pocket Lo

The prices range from 50 euro to around 400 euro, depending on styles and they ship worldwide, Romania included.

So here you have it - the complete summer collection from United Nude! What do you think? Which would you wear?

photo source: unitednude.com

Shoe Obsession of the Day: United Nude's version of the Dorothy Shoe

I've just come accross the modern version of the Dorothy ruby red shoes. Designed by Untied Nude, the Lo Res shoes are a revolutionary take on fairy-tail like shoes that women feel attracted to.

One of the most mindblowing shoes I have probably seen, these multifaceted red shoes with black strap are ground breaking in the industry too. Why? Because of the technique that stands behind their design:  "The United Nude Lo Res is part of a new semi-automatic design method by United Nude. An object is digitally scanned into a 3D computer model and regenerated into various resolutions. The Lo Res shoe is part of an automated design revolution."

available for purchase here

Do you like them? Would you wear them? Do you appreciate this kind of fancy revolutionary techniques in shoe design?

photo source: unitednude.com

Iris van Herpen for United Nude

Iris van Herpen, the Dutch designer who studied under Viktor & Rolf and Alexander McQueen, has paired with United Nude to create a shoe that will keep people talking for a long time. 

The shoe, which comes in nude and black, is an artistic mix between excentricity, VIP attitude and amazing crafting techniques. As the designers describe them, what makes these ankle booties different and special are the "smooth round lines and golden leather detailing on the front and back of the shoe, with three-dimensional characteristics. Transparency, reflections and movements create the effect of visual estrangement." The shoes are so well crafted using complicated techniques and precision that they are 100% hand made with quality Italian leather.

At first I was a bit skeptical about them: the resemblence to the McQueen alien booties is too obvious. However, when documenting this article I have found that there is a reason to it: Iris von Herpen has been an aprentice in the creative studios of both McQueen and Viktor & Rolf. She has gradued in 2006 the Artez Institute of Arts and has launched so far 6 complete collections during fashion weeks in Amsterdam, Tokyo and London. The latest collection is called Synthesia and talks, through the mindblowing techniques and fabrics of sound, movement, colours in a futuristic manner.

The booties designed for United Nude are somehow spiritually connected to her latest collection: they seem to carry the same message about fabrics, colours and future, they share their attitude and the designer's signature style.

In the new light of all of the above mentioned, I feel that these shoes are indeed similar to what we have seen on the catwalk of Mr. McQueen, but this is done as a tribute, not as a shameless way of getting attention by "borrowing" the idea. 

Moreover, these booties are more tamed and I honestly seem myself wearing them at a fancy party/event while I would never wear the McQueen ones. Their great success is given by this wearability,  the quality leather, the smooth finish, the metalic twisted details which make them very urban - perfect for a girl who thinks deep down inside that she is the next Lady Gaga.

The shoes are available for online purchase here.

What do yo think? Do you like them?

photo source: unitednude.com