Hasta La Ideas

Dezeen in Israel: these high-heeled shoes that look like inflatable sex dolls are part of a collection of footwear by Tel Aviv designer Kobi Levi.

The Blow shoes were designed to highlight how high heels are synonymous with sex and accompany a second pair where the heel illustrates the act of sex itself.

Other handmade shoes in the collection depict different animals and birds.

One pair, named Slide, is designed to look like a playground slide with a bright blue ladder for a heel, while another pair resembles banana skins.

If crazy shoes are your thing, you may want to check out all our stories about shoes.

Here’s some more text about each pair from Kobi Levy:

Kobi Levi Footwear Art – About the designs

Elephant

This is a very elegant design, which balances between the heaviness of the huge mammal to the lightness of a high heel shoe. Every aspect of the elephant is tuned down just a little. This creates an illusion of gentleness and calmness that is probably quite rare in the wild. The long trunk extends the length of the shoe and gives is a long and slim look.

The elephant is lovely and even cute, despite his enormous size. Its shape is very recognizable and loved by most viewers.

The upper tries to mimic the big elephant ears, which are always moving from side to side, chasing away flies and so on.

Slide

The basic idea for this design came from listening to customers of Kobi’s commercial designs complaining about their feet sliding inside high heel shoes. This made Kobi think about the connection between slides in a children’s playground and high heel shoes. The resemblance between the two silhouettes is striking.

The colors of this design celebrate the playfulness and joyfulness of playing grounds. The heel is made of steel in a very delicate and elaborate work.

Blow and XXX Pump

These designs try to push the usage of high heel shoes as sex objects to extreme. High heels shoes are promoting sex or hinting about sex all around us. They have become synonym with sexual displays of various kinds. Kobi has decided to show this in the most outspoken way by creating a shoe shaped as an inflatable sex doll and naming it “Blow”.

XXX is a vulgar extreme close-up display of a sexual act, disguised as a basic high heel shoe in a neutral, harmless, nude color.

Both designs challenge us to reflect on the common usage of sexual icons and imageries in the everyday media.

Dog

The idea for this design came from observing a dog breathing heavily with his ears fallen down to the ground. The ears became into a double heel and the mouth is now a peep-toe.

Banana

The combination of banana peels and shoes usually leads to unpleasant accidents.

Kobi saw the banana as a slipper, inviting the feet to slip inside and wear its bright color all around. With the heel shaped as one of the peels, the whole banana is complete. Both heel andsole are made of one aluminum piece, which gives the design strength and durability.

Miao

The inspiration for this style came from watching a cat stretch his back.

The image is obtained by freezing the motion of the cat into a single “frame”. Using a silhouette of a “frozen frame” creates a sense of movement, which gives life to the design. It seems as though the cat is about to jump forward in a giant leap. The long, playful tail and the pink strap with the tiny bell add character and personality. We have all seen this cat somewhere before.

Slingshot

The idea for this design came when Kobi noticed the “tension” created when walking with Flip Flops: The upper stretches and flips back the sole to the foot. Kobi rearranged the sole- strap connection, fixed it, and created a high heel flip flop inspired by a Sling Shot.

This design captures and emphasizes the movement which characterizes flip flops. This movement is stopped and frozen to create the design. The Materials used for the upper: leather. The heel is made of wood.

Ten athletic-wear items sure to keep stride indoors and out

With marathon season in full swing stateside, those looking to get in on the action either need to take their running regime indoors or layer up to beat the impeding cold air and wetter conditions. We’ve been road-testing gear for ladies from singlets to shoes, indoors and out, and have selected 10 essential pieces that will keep you warm on a run in the park or cool you down when training indoors.

Track & Field Fitness Top

Made with Lycra and multifilament polyamide—the kind of blend used for pro racing suits—the Fitness Top from Brazilian label Track & Field ($62) is a fully supportive sports bra with a vibrant pattern to energize you from the start. The stretchy fabric adapts to the shape of your body, maintaining comfort on a long run. Get your hands on one online or at their NYC boutique.

Nike Miler

Nike’s no-nonsense Miler ($25) singlet is a straightforward staple worn by seasoned runners. The signature Dri-Fit fabric is incredibly lightweight, and its high-performance moisture-wicking properties and loose fit make for an ultra-comfortable run no matter how long the distance. The Miler comes in seven different colors and features flat seams to prevent chafing.

Lululemon Swiftly Short Sleeve Tech

Lululemon’s stylish ultra-soft knit Swiftly Tech shirt ($58) works well as a base layer or on its own. The Swiftly is woven with yarn made from actual silver—a technique that yields what they call silverescent—in order to continuously kill odor-causing bacteria that typically build up in a shirt after several wears. The seamless construction significantly reduces chafing and and gives you absolute freedom of movement, and the strategically placed ventilation openings keep you feeling (and looking) fresh on a long run.

Nike Dri-Fit Wool Half-Zip

The soft Half-Zip from Nike ($80) is well insulated yet breathable, with a wool outer layer to get through chilly days or cool-down sessions. Flat seams add comfort, built-in hand warmers keep you toasty, zip pockets let you carry a little extra with you and key reflector strips add an extra safety precaution.

Space Hoodie

Packed with ultra-warm PrimaLoft fill, Aether’s Space Hoodie ($295) offers substantial insulation without the weight, and the “made-in-North-America” jacket’s slim silhouette looks sharp while still allowing for plenty of movement. The pocket within a pocket holds your iPod, complete with a stitched opening to pull through your earbuds cord through, keeping it secure inside the coat and from getting tangled while your arms are swinging.

Swift Short

The Icebreaker Swift Short ($60) blends soft merino wool with Lycra spandex in a flattering cut that looks fast, even if you aren’t. Even with just a 2.5-inch inseam, the trunks manage to hide an unobtrusive interior key pouch while showing off those sexy gams you worked so hard to shape up.

Pro Winter Training Pant

For those really cold days, it’s best to stick with the Pro Winter Training Pant ($125) from the winter sports gurus at Helly Hansen. Added stretch and articulated knees let your legs reach a full stride, while reflective stripes add a bit of panache—and nighttime safety—to a winter jog.

2XU Elite Compression Tights

Squeeze your soreness into submission with these Elite Compression Tights from 2XU ($149). By applying pressure to your muscles, the tights promote circulation and stave off the buildup of lactic acid, allowing you to get moving again sooner. We tried several brands and 2XU had us at the top of our game after a 5K or a long day on the mountain.

Adidas Adipure

They might look a little odd, but the benefits of individual-toe sneakers outweigh any style shortcomings. Adidas’ Adipure shoes ($90) are among the sleekest we’ve found, fitting to your foot like a padded sock. The shoes aren’t designed for running—they’re supposed to increase stability and dexterity for strength training—but we’ve found that they also help with balance and strength on the treadmill. Best of all, they’re washable—after a month at the gym simply toss them in the washing machine and they’ll smell just like new.

K-Swiss Kwicky Blade-Light

Moving outside on uneven terrain calls for a thicker sole. The K-Swiss Kwicky Blade-Light ($135) features the brand’s patented Blade-Light technology, which provides a cushioned crash pad without the extra weight. The shoe’s P2i ion-mask technology provides water resistance on rainy days, and the seamless upper is exceptionally comfortable, even at mile 26. Having always associated K-Swiss with tennis, we were admittedly wary of their running shoes. However, their recent Runner’s World award for Best Debut certainly caught our attention, and they’ve clearly put the time into R&D for the current line of superior running shoes.

National pride shines through in a collection of subtle shoes

The young duo behind Ylati Footwear perfectly mix traditional Italian craftsmanship with their love for sneakers. Supporting the Made in Italy push for homegrown products in their own subversive way—try reading the label from right to left—Ylati looks to the skilled masters in Italy’s Campania region, who use handmade processes to achieve a casually refined aesthetic.

Clean design and a precise balance of materials and textures defines the collection’s sharp, understated aesthetic for casual trainers with some polish, and both the fall and upcoming spring collections are based on pale neutral palettes, with details like contrasting soles and an unexpected Oxford eyelet addition to a suede low-top.

The collection is available through Ylati’s e-shop with prices starting at 165€.