Michael Kors said, “Lighten up, it’s just fashion,” but when fashion gets seriously good, it becomes fantastic, jaw-dropping, put-it-inside-a-glass-case-and-display-it-at-a-museum art.
In the case of these Anastasia Radevich shoes from her “Lost Civilizations” collection, they’re really, REALLY good. Not only could they be considered works of art, but they’re also representations of Anastasia Radevich’s view of the rise and fall of humanity, her stand on man’s self-destructive ways, and her vision of an apocalyptic future.
It sounds like a lot just for one collection, so Anastasia Radevich divided “Lost Civilizations” into a past, present, and future timeline. The story begins in the past, in the mythical sea-sunk cities of Atlantis, the Bay of Cambay, and Alexandria. The present is a look into the destruction of nature caused by human overconsumption. Finally, Redevich’s future is where the earth heals, cleanses, rejuvenates, and reverts to its original pristine condition.
As “museum pieces” as these shoes appear to be, Anastasia Radevich designed her shoes to be wearable. After all, she learned to combine form and function from the best—she interned at Alexander McQueen and Nicholas Kirkwood.
Anastasia Radevich, a Canadian footwear designer of Belarusian origin, is one shoe designer to look out for. Check her out at Anastasia Radevich and her “Lost Civilizations” shoe collection below.
The Mythical Past: Sunken Cities and Lost Civilizations
“The ‘Past’ will walk you through civilizations that, despite all technological advancements, were doomed to vanish. They have been submerged beneath the seas, after the sea level rose and flooded lands that have been host to the humans before.
The shoe pieces have textures reminiscent to those brought up from the depth of the oceans and aesthetics of those civilizations. The construction of the shoes is sculpted from metal and then galvanized and rusted.
It took 95 days of hard work to create this part of the collection.”
— Anastasia Radevich
The Present: Humanity’s Impact and Overconsumption
“The ‘present’ exciting time to live, massive challenges to overcome. It took nature 5,000,000 years to create the amount of fossil fuels we consume.
Drilling, rigging, fracking, tar sands, mountain top removal… if the Earth is indeed a living organism, as many ancient tribes believe, how long before it shakes us off as one pesty parasite?”
— Anastasia Radevich
The Future: Rebirth and Earth’s Pristine Revival
Explore the Intersection of Art and Footwear
Anastasia Radevich’s “Lost Civilizations” collection exemplifies the harmonious fusion of fashion and art, a theme explored in various innovative footwear designs.
For instance, United Nude’s architectural shoes reinterpret structural forms into wearable art pieces, pushing the boundaries of conventional shoe design.
Similarly, Taylor Reeve’s TaylorSays line features high heels adorned with original artwork on their soles, blending vivid artistry with fashion.
Additionally, Manolo Blahnik’s celebrated “The Art of Shoes” exhibition showcases his creations as timeless works, highlighting the intricate craftsmanship and artistic inspiration behind each design.
These examples illustrate the dynamic intersection of art and footwear, offering enthusiasts diverse designs that transcend traditional fashion boundaries.