Cinderella Shoe Trend: DSW, Louboutin Take on Princess Heels

Women have never been more obsessed with fancy shoes, and designers have found a new way to capitalize on the fantasy: give shoppers their own version of Cinderella's iconic glass slippers. On the heels of similar Disney-esque styles from Christian Louboutin and Marc Jacobs, DSW has partnered with Disney on The Glass Slipper Collection, a limited edition line of evening and wedding shoes inspired by the 1950 Disney animated classic film "Cinderella." Shoes range in price from $59.95 to $89.95 and each pair comes with an embossed carriage logo and a signature blue jewel on the sole-perfect for shoe lovers and Disney collectors alike. If that connection isn't enough, The Glass Slipper collection is scheduled hits DSW stores and DSW.com on October 1, just before the release of the "Cinderella Diamond Edition," Blu-Ray at the stroke of midnight on October 2. This is one time Cinderella will not be leaving her pretty shoe behind!

If Disney Princesses Were Real

With crystal adornments, glitter, lace, ruffles, and studs now the norm in upscale footwear, women are always looking for a creative accessories that stand out. Ladies will spend their entire paychecks on new shoes in hopes of fulfilling some sort of fantasy, so shoe brands are wisely partnering with Disney, the company associated for making dreams come true. The iconic Cinderella slipper is a clever yet admittedly obvious way to cash in on the ever-growing shoe market. Since women of all shapes and sizes can fit into a shoe (and not, say, the new trendy designer dress), every single one of them can slip on a magical Cinderella slipper and feel special. At least that's what these shoe outfitters are banking on.

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"The inspiration for the line came from the vision of Disney artist Mary Blair's original art for the film," says Debbie Ferrée, Vice Chairman and Chief Merchandising Officer for DSW. "We took a close look at the film's aesthetic details-the rich textures and fabric, the beautiful blue in Cinderella's dress-even the French rococo-inspired scenery. Every little whimsical touch featured in the footwear collection came right out of the film." Robert Oberschelp, Director for Disney Consumer Products was happy to help the animated footwear come to life. "The Glass Slipper Collection captures the beauty and sophistication of Cinderella by tapping into the childhood affinity women have for this beloved character, while creating footwear that is relatable to their lives as adults," says Oberschelp.

Last month Christian Louboutin also partnered with Disney on a Cinderella slipper. On July 5, Louboutin debuted its Cinderella shoe on Facebook and the photo caption read, "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo, Cinderella has a red sole shoe." Another photo of the crystal and butterfly-adorned pair got 49,000 Facebook likes. "If I had seen these before my wedding...there would be NO debating it!! GORGEOUS," one fan commented on the image. "I'm feeling like a fairytale...I want this," said another.

Only 20 pairs of the Cinderella Louboutins were produced, but in the hopes to make dreams come true they will be given away this fall to some very lucky ladies. (Yes, you read that correctly: free Louboutins!) The brand was scheduled to release details on the giveaway August 17, but no information is currently available at press time. No retail price has been revealed we'd image they'd cost around $6,400--similar to other crystal-encrusted Louboutins. With such a limited run, however, we would to be surprised to see them going for double or triple that price on eBay.

In addition to these two Disney collaborations, the clear fashion trend this spring and summer yielded many other glassy-looking shoes, including the Marc Jacobs Transparent Pump. Designed to look like a modern day Cinderella slipper, these heels were made of see-through PVC with leather trim and retailed for $595. The got the attention of many bloggers, ourselves included, back in May and have since completely sold out.

For some women, Cinderella heels will fill more than just their shoe fantasy. Would you try them? Let us know in the comments.

One footwear-obsessed lady, Beth Shak, says she owns more than 1,000 pairs of shoes. Check out her story below.



Related links:
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Christian Louboutin's Cinderella-Inspired Shoes
How Many Shoes Are Too Many?