This is the first of a series that I have been wanting to do -Designer on the Dime, where I’ll be featuring pieces+ accessories from different brands that are available at a more affordable price. This week I have a double feature, due to my obsession with shoes and the fact that the weather should be changing soon, I had to feature both. Both of these shoes are from the same store but tune in two different designers/brands, Aquazzurra + Hermes.
Last season, I’m not sure which brand was the first to come out with the original lace up sandal, that later Zara made their own version and it took over the scene. As soon as Zara had their own version so did other brands and other places like the Instagram stores. They were all different yet the same. This season, the lace up sandal got upgraded to a better and greater version, that I like to call the lace up sandal 2.0. The Amazon Sandal from Aquazzurra has been around for a while, but not to many brands made their version of it and not too many people jumped on it. But of course the beloved Zara, took it upon themselves to create their version for a fraction of the price. They don’t look exactly like the Aquazzurra but close enough to them. The Aquazzurra sandal retails for $695 and comes in different colors and patterns. But the Zara version retails for $99 and is currently only available in black. But if you don’t have a shoe like this, or if you want to wear these all year round, black is the perfect color. Online shops have also created their own version but of course the quality isn’t the same, where Zara used leather and not synthetic materials.
The next must have sandal is also a lace up sandal but with a different look, by Hermes. This shoe, in a unique mustard color has been seen on the feet, of who else but Kim K, sometime last year. And most recently on Mama Jenner’s feet in Paris.
When I walked into Zara, something about this shoe made me like them and something made me not like them so much. What it was? I have no idea. I just know that once I started seeing it worn and all over instagram, my addiction kicked in and got the best of me. So I finally ordered them. The Hermes Sandal and the Zara version look similar but just like the Aquazarra sandal, they are not exactly the same, but you can seen where the inspiration came from. The Hermes sandal retails for somewhere around $700 and up, (from SS14, so they are no longer available )and the Zara version retails for $79, which I think is a steal for the quality and look of the shoe.
A closer look, comparing & contrasting them.
