Beauty is a broad spectrum, but feet very rarely make an appearance. In fact, with around 12% of the population experiencing podophobia (a fear of feet) at least once in their lives, many designers have simply never delved into this potentially inflammatory aspect.
During lockdown, English model and actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley collaborated with Gia Couture on a footwear brand that she hopes will change this outlook. And, if the success of her foot-based selfies on Instagram are anything to go by, she’s already a long way towards that goal.
RHW’s lockdown Instagram uploads have certainly been foot-heavy and, far from shuddering away in horror (as far as we know…) her 12.2 million followers have been lapping it up. And, who can blame them? RHW’s feet are as pristine as the rest of her, and the footwear isn’t bad either!
The question we’re asking as the GA/RHW launch sees these striking shoes selling out faster than hotcakes, is what exactly does RHW’s footstagram focus teach us about beauty in this too-often forgotten area?
RHW’S lesson 1 – Comfort comes first
Way back in 2013, RHW brazenly braved a bloodied, blistered toe to face her fans on the Cannes catwalk. While many other stars would cram even a painful foot into a pair of stilettos, RHW kept it real with a pair of comfortable open-toed sandals, and her fans loved her for it! After all, our feet carry enough baggage to deserve all the comfort they require. We’re talking custom foot orthotics that provide arch support, open-toed sandals that reduce pressure, and flat soles that very much keep our feet on the ground! Incidentally, these are precisely the focuses that RHW’s new footwear brand brings to the fore, with flats especially taking on a whole new level of glam that we can all be grateful for!
RHW’S lesson 2 – Feet can be beautiful too
As RHW flaunts her feet across the gram, one thing’s becoming clear – feet can be beautiful too. Even thoughts of crusty heels and yellowing toes can’t ruin RHW’s pedicured, pampered toots. This makes way for an important lesson that we all needed to learn – a well-kept foot is a wonderful foot. Hence why we’re all reaching for polish and skin files that are about to see us enjoying the sandal summer fun more than ever before!
RHW’s lesson 3 – You don’t need a different pair of shoes for every outfit
For shoe lovers or shoe haters alike, the need for the perfect footwear has always been something of an afterthought, adding annoyance to the best outfits and, more often than we’d like to admit, not working out at all. But, with a focus on wonderfully versatile neutral, natural nail and footwear colours, RHW has stylishly shown us how feet can work in harmony, rather than opposition, with our looks overall, ensuring that we literally look and feel our best from head to toe.
Available exclusively with FWRD, RHW’s footwear launch is waiting to take your feet to the next level. Are you ready for the lessons it has to teach?
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