SICKA THAN AVERAGE

Last week, leading footwear brands ventured to the big apple for the Fashion Footwear Association of New York's (FFANY) annual shoe expo, where manufacturers can exhibit their wares to retailers, thereby establishing relationships and launching new business ventures. Among the brands present were Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, Kenneth Cole, Via Spiga, BCBGeneration, Nina, Faryl Robin, Enzo Angiolini Frye, Nine West — and, of course, Candela. Argentina-bred designers Natalia Kuks-Jacobs and Gabriela Perezutti-Isaacson launched their Candela clothing line in 2004 and, two years later, unveiled their first footwear collection. In just three years, Candela shoes have won over celeb fans like Lauren Conrad.

Influenced by the functional footwear worn by ranchers in South America, as well as the free-spirited hippie fashions of the '60s and '70s, Candela shoes merge masculine and feminine, hard and soft, flashy and demure. Their pre-fall collection, as seen at FFANY, includes such pieces as: supple leather slip-on oxfords in a slightly vintage-looking gold shade; ecru slip-on oxfords featuring a constellation of shiny gold and brass eyelets along the toe (like the aforementioned gold slip-ons, these are lace-less shoes, which adds a haphazardness and an ease to the style); riding boots with a rugged, distressed, Western-ish feel and interwoven loops along the side of the shaft; and a knee-high black boot with removable, studded, patch-like strap details hugging the ankle and the top of the shaft. I'm particularly smitten with the black boots — they're a little biker chick tough and very rock-n-roll cool.

The gold "Tokyo" shoes pictured above are currently available for $118 on Bluefly.com, while the other designs should be available shortly! Candela is currently sold at such stores as Saks Fifth Avenue, ShopBop, and Urban Outfitters.