Shoes are contemporary jewelry, designer Donatella Versace once said, and in recent years they have become an integral part of a designer’s fashion statement.

While Salvatore Ferragamo invented the wedge, it was Dolce & Gabbana that did the most with the form this season. But Fendi, Marni, Moschino and Frankie Morello were nipping at their heels.

Оne season Armani refined the running shoe by pairing it with chiffon evening outfit.

In the 1990s the stiletto became a symbol for spicy chic. More recently, antebellum platforms and wedges thought to have been relegated to the back of grandmather’s recess became super hot again, especially with teens. The heels have become more higher with each season, and the inches are evidently taking their toll.

Catwalks models at this week’s preview shows in Milan stumbled, slipped and in the case of one model wearing ankle-strapped high-heels at Prada — toppled over.

I was having a panic attack, my hands were shaking. The heels were so high,” one of the models said. “Some of the girls were crying backstage they were so scared.”

Prada

Prada’s spring/summer collection 2009, shown at Milan Fashion Week, was thus a high-tech take on “cave-woman couture”, expressed in snake-print sheath-dresses, fish-prints and burnished gold brassieres with matching pencil skirts and jackets. The real culprit were the super high platform shoes.

It was all about the shoes, and not in a nice way. The mile-high platform shoes strapped on over what appeared to be Prada’s take on Peds might have been impressive, had half of the girls not had major trouble walking and thus shown totally petrified.

From WWD,

The mile-high platforms strapped on over what appeared to be Prada’s take on Peds might have been impressive, had half of the girls not had major trouble walking and thus looked absolutely petrified.

According to the Daily Mail, the problem was slippery socks, which caused Prada’s runway models to lose grip.

I wrote about Gucci collection in “Blue fantasy Spring-Summer 2009 by Gucci”. It was all in the accessories, where Gucci really thrives, with triple-strap platform sandals, ethnic jewellery, and swag backpacks.

Pucci

The Pucci silk prints were gripping, tending for daytime to be in one-colour or featuring abstract palm leaf prints.

For evening, Pucci made prints out of a innumerable of stitched-together crystal beads on a gold background.

Gold also made up the high-heel of Pucci’s summer shoes. But seemingly extra height makes the footwear as perfidious as it is gorgeous.

Dolce & Gabbana

Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce duo accessorized their sumptuous silk dresses with sparkling and soaring platform sandals.

The super-high platforms were also used for their dreamy ball gowns in tulle and embellished roses. Dolce vindicated the towering look, saying that every girl has the right to dream.

Fendi

The Fendi runway show featured models wearing wild pinned-up hairstyles and futuristic lace outfits girthed at the waist by a wide sash.

The look may have been unusual, but the universal effect was still the elegant and easygoing look preferred by Italian designers for the summer 2009.

The shoes at Fendi were strangely windless, though, particularly for the house that made metal ankle straps a fashion fetish.

The high heels were never high, and favored was an open-toed saddle shoe fitted with a convenient wedge.