Architect Zaha Hadid Constructs Crazy Chrome and Fiberglass Heels

A great shoe is all about design, so who better to create high heels than an acclaimed architect? Zaha Hadid, the Iraqi-British architect known for her futuristic buildings, has partnered with United Nude's creative director, architect Rem D. Koolhaas (the nephew of the great Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas), on some insane, space-age heels we can already picture on the feet of Lady Gaga.

The Scariest Shoes of All Time

The 6.25 inch NOVA heels appear to actually be heel-less, but we're confident the expert architect has engineered a comfortable shoe you won't topple over in. The materials are equally creative, with the outside of the shoe using metallic chromed vinyl rubber in either silver, black or rose gold. The result looks like something out of a sci-fi movie-coiled liquid metal. The sole is rubber and contains a hidden platform and heel made of fiberglass, while luxurious Italian kid nappa leather lines the interior of the shoe.

Zaha Hadid: You Don't Have to Be Polite to Succeed


"United Nude's collections are provocative yet sensual," Hadid said in a statement on the United Nude website. "Rem D. Koolhaas' unrelenting experimentation at the cutting edge of fashion never fails to capture our imagination. I have always appreciated those who dare to experiment with materials and proportions. Our collaboration with United Nude reinterprets the classic shoe typology; pushing the boundaries of what is possible without compromising integrity." To create the NOVA heels the design duo apparently invented a new way of making shoes called "rotation molding" that United Nude claims has never been used before.

The price for such unique footwear obviously isn't cheap. Only 300 pairs of numbered, limited edition heels will be made-100 in each color-and will sell for $2,000 a pair. You can pre-order them now in sized 35 to 40 (US women's sizes 5 to 10) from the United Nude website with free shipping, and they'll soon be available in select boutiques like L'eclaireur in Paris. We're all for inspiring, revolutionary fashion, so while $2,000 is steep, at least they're innovative shoes you won't see in every department store (ahem, Christian Louboutin).

"Zaha consistently reinvents the program with her own ideas and interpretations," said Koolhaas. "Her visionary creations are often unexpected, yet reinforce their origins. I could not resist the challenge to work with Zaha. We gave ourselves the greatest degree of experimentation and used the latest digital design and manufacturing technologies to create one of the most innovative shoes ever produced."

Hadid is not a new face in the fashion world. Back in 2008 she designed limited edition shoes for the Brazilian footwear label Melissa, and in 2009 she made an aerodynamic shoe collection for Lacoste. The architect also created the asymmetrical Louis Vuitton Icone bag in 2006, and has made jewelry for Swarovski on several occasions. In terms of structures, Hadid is the mastermind behind Chanel's Mobile Art Container in Hong Kong and even supermodel Naomi Campbell's spaceship-style home in Moscow, Russia.

With so many bizarre shoe creations pushing the limits of wearable fashion, we believe there is a customer for Hadid's NOVA heels. We'd love them as an art piece (on someone else's dime, please), but in terms of walking around in them? We'll leave that to the pop stars like Gaga. With only 300 pairs made, we'll bet she's already placed an order for all three colors.

For more on how Hadid's NOVA shoes are made, check out the video below.



Related links:
The ugliest shoes, well, ever
The scariest shoes of all time
Wearable 24 karat gold shoes are here!