From The Straits Times    |

Gisele Bündchen was “too worried” to wear high heels in the Balenciaga Spring/Summer 11 runway show.

The Brazilian model was one of a number of high-profile models to strut their stuff in the show. They all famously wore flat shoes, with the biker boots which were prolific a huge hit with fashion fans.

Balenciaga creative director Nicolas Ghesquière has now revealed the surprising way they came about.

“The idea was to have this crazy casting with Gisele and Amber Valletta and Carolyn [Murphy], and they said no for high heels. They were not used to walking with heels anymore. Gisele was worried; she would not walk with my heels… I was already thinking flats and I was already preparing the flat shoes,” he told WWD.

Nicolas also discussed the fashion house’s famous Lariat bag. The slouchy carry case is popular with celebrities across the globe, with Kate Moss and Sienna Miller among those spotted with it.

The accessory almost didn’t get made though, as those in charge didn’t think it would be successful. The designer explained at that time handbags were hard and not so casual, so it wasn’t expected that woman would want to splash out on such a laidback piece.

“Every girl who was walking [the show], including Kate [Moss] came in and was like, ‘What is that [bag]? Is it vintage? Is it something that you found at the flea market?’ I was like ‘No, it’s a handbag that we prototyped but just didn’t produce,’” he explained. “We didn’t produce it because I think when I showed the prototype to the people who asked me to do it, they weren’t happy with it… Accessories [at the time] were rigid. Luxury leather, especially, was about rigidity. So they were not really happy, and they decided not to produce it.”

In the end Nicolas convinced the fashion heads to allow him to create 25 of the designs for the women who’d loved them at the show. After that more people became interested and the bag became a hit all over the world. © COVER MEDIA