Perfectly En Pointe

When dancer Marie Taglioni graced the stage en pointe in La Slyphide, a footwear revolution began.  The ballet flat became box-toed with the graceful stylings of Pierina Legnani and Russian great Anna Pavlova, who both transformed the dance shoe into an aesthetically astonishing, fabric-encased, hard-edged work of satin art.


The Grand Mademoiselle is no ballerina, but the deceptive simplicity of design comprising the snub-toed, blunt box end of a ballet shoe is breathtaking (witness the elevation of ballet shoes en pointe by Alexander McQueen in 2010).  While his awe-inspiring crossbreed of high heel, ballet shoe, and lobster claw may not be practical, they remain sublime and owe their origin to Marie Taglioni and her successors.  Christian Louboutin took the ballet shoe en pointe to an unearthly level as well, raising the bar on what's possible when you imagine above and beyond the round toe.

The ballet shoe en pointe is easily brought down to earth in the form of the snub-toed, blunt ballerina flat.  The ultimate leather square-toe ballerina flat of the season is the "Soft Blunt" by designer All Black which is available up to a size 15 (although also readily at hand in smaller sizes for non-Grand M's).  With a soft and delicate leather upper, gently folded and elegantly ruched V-shaped vamp, and a respectable 1/4" heel, the "Soft Blunt" is the Grand M's go-to for Fall 2011.  Wear them with silk trousers, a chiffon pleated maxi skirt, or even animal-printed wool shorts.  I've paired mine (which are a lovely patent-leather cadet blue) with a black nylon origami-folded bell skirt that I bought at a vintage shop in the East Village 10 years ago, a white cutaway tissue tank top printed with vibrant yellow bananas from H&M, and my Eric Dember studded bag from Hammitt Los Angeles.