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| From the Bata Shoe Museum |
It’s time to play… Name Those Shoes! With the new 18th century shoe prototype expected by the end of January, we need to find a proper, pretty name for them – can’t keep calling them “those 18th century shoes!”
I’m looking for something that evokes history and culture related to the upper echelons of society in the 18th century. The shoes, after all, are for you ladies of the gentry and aristocracy, and so the name must reflect this.
Please have a vote on what I’ve come up with, or enter your own name. The “winning” name will be announced with the shoes in early February. Thank you!
23 Comments
Corbie
January 13, 2011 at 1:02 AMI like "Georgiana", but you need to fix the spelling 🙂
Lauren R
January 13, 2011 at 1:16 AMOh gosh, don't I feel silly! Thank you for pointing that out! fixed now!
ME
January 13, 2011 at 1:17 AMI put in a new suggestion, Buckles and Bows. I don't know if it went through though….
Sandra Brake
January 13, 2011 at 1:25 AMI think since you have been the genesis of this wonderful idea, they should be called "The Duchess". Or more familiarly, "where are my duchesses?".
Lauren Stowell
January 13, 2011 at 1:32 AMdon't you think that "American Duchess Duchess shoes" sounds too redundant? hrm…./ponders
Sandra Brake
January 13, 2011 at 1:55 AMAhhh so all the titles will have American Duchess appended to them? 😉 My bad! hahahaha
Sandra Brake
January 13, 2011 at 1:58 AMDoes you know if you can Scotchguard silk?
I will definitely need a pair I can wear outdoors as well and since it's been raining here since October and we are now in flood with another three months of rain predicted then maybe I should be looking at Chopines!
Lauren Stowell
January 13, 2011 at 2:11 AMInitially – we all will refer to them as whatever the name turns out to be, so "the georgiana shoes," or "the versailles shoes," but on the website, for banners and ad purposes, it will always have "American Duchess" in front of it, so everyone knows who makes them and where to get them.
Silk – when you have them dyed, they will be sprayed with a sealer. This doesn't waterproof them, and that's always the problem with fabric shoes, in wet conditions. You'll want to save them for less-dirty, less-wet occasions, and wear the American Duchess's future leather shoes in the mud and wet!
Sandra Brake
January 13, 2011 at 4:16 AMMmm yes, I hadn't thought that far. Of course they would have to be like that on the web and for marketing and even meta-data.
And I don't know why I'd be asking anyone where I'd put them since I will obviously sleep with them.
In light of these considerations I will go and vote for Versailles.
Margravine Louisa
January 13, 2011 at 7:41 AMShould be named after a dance:
Gigue, Bouree, Gavotte, Minuet, Waltz, Marche, Arabesque,Danse(all with the proper accents of course)
Seidenweberin
January 13, 2011 at 8:46 AMOr somethin in the line of "Petit Trianon" – or "Yolande"?
Lauren Stowell
January 13, 2011 at 8:52 AMMargravine, I do like the idea of them named after a dance – I love the word Arabesque, although a more exotic shoe for the future, perhaps?
Fiorina – Petit Trianon, I love it. Just all these name suggestions along are conjuring images of beautiful shoes!
MrsC (Maryanne)
January 13, 2011 at 9:53 AMOh, great minds! I added The Minuets as "other" before I read the comments.
Must be Meant 😉
Olympe de la Tour D'Auvergne
January 13, 2011 at 1:20 PMOoh, I already voted, but I do love the idea of naming them after dances!
Lauren
January 13, 2011 at 3:22 PMI'm just excited to have some new shoes 😀
Anonymous
January 13, 2011 at 7:04 PMOoh, too many ideas – how about Fragonards?
Also, it might be fun to name all the shoes after famous ladies of fashion (or gentlemen, for men's shoes) or painters of the particular period the shoes are designed for. Fragonard would work well for these (The Swing is from the 1760s, I think), while Watteau would work for earlier styles. Similarly, Pompadour could work for earlier shoes, while Antoinette would work for these, era-wise… Just an idea. What can I say, I like themes?!
Lauren Stowell
January 13, 2011 at 7:41 PMI love the idea of naming them after dances, fashionable historical ladies (such as Georgiana, Antoinette, Polignac, etc.), or places (like Devonshire, Paris, Versailles). It's so hard to choose now! You're all giving such great suggestions! "The Pompadours" has been suggested a couple times, too, and I'm starting to fall in love with it!
MrsC (Maryanne)
January 13, 2011 at 11:00 PMI love Pompadours as much as Minuets. I think it's important to choose names SO synonymous with the era that even the most newbie of costume wearer can work out when they are from. Surely everyone knows who La Pompadour was, or at least associate the name with powdered wigs and panniers 🙂
Unknown
January 14, 2011 at 5:08 AMAs I've read through the comments, I must say, I like the idea of giving them the name "the duchess"
I mean, this will be the first shoes you made of this line, after all, right?
Although I like the name "Pompadours" as well, I wouldn't refer to one particular person, if I would not have taken his/her shoes or style as a reference.
Greets from vienna!
Anne Elizabeth
January 14, 2011 at 8:23 AMI am really liking the idea of "Pompadours". Many people call that a Louis XV heel, I think, but he didn't wear them, after all. 😉 (At least I think men's heels were less common and less curvy.)
Lauren Stowell
January 14, 2011 at 8:00 PMNow this is hard to choose! So far (sneak peek) "The Georgianas" is in the lead, but many people have suggested wonderful names, to include "The Pompadours" and "The Minuets," both I like muchly.
I will write a proper bit about this, but the reason I don't think we should call them "The Duchesses" is because it will be redundant when everything is put together – "American Duchess Duchess Shoes." The whole line has "Duchess" attached to it (when there is indeed a line of more than one style), so wouldn't it be fun to tag these specific shoes with their own name? I don't want to confuse anyone in the future.
Emma
January 14, 2011 at 9:16 PMWhen everything is put together I really like the way "American Duchess Devonshire shoes" sounds, especially with the slight alliteration.
Unknown
January 16, 2011 at 7:19 AMYep, I'll go with what Emma said, it sounds lovely! 🙂