Stella Luna channels Patti Smith

Riddle me this: Who is turning 65, pairs all-American Ralph Lauren with avant-garde Belgian designer Ann Demeulemeester, and wears Johnny Depp’s boots?

Clue: It’s not Depp’s longtime partner Vanessa Paradis — she’s 38!

No, it’s the godmother of punk, 1970s rock icon Patti Smith. In an interview early last year with The New York Times, she revealed that they were a gift from the eccentric Hollywood actor, who wore them on the set of Alice in Wonderland as the Mad Hatter — and oddly enough, they were a perfect fit.

With her disheveled Keith Richards haircut, Patti Smith is best known for her androgynous style, prompting women in the coming decades to steal their boyfriends’ jeans, blazers and white shirts for themselves, but she also has a secret passion for couture ball dresses. “I adore ball gowns,” she admits in the interview. “I love their cut, their architecture and the thought of the hands of the so many seamstresses working on them.”

Her ability to rock menswear like nobody’s business and carry herself just as confidently in a floor-length Dior evening gown is what has inspired Stella Luna’s fall/winter collection. Every woman longs to let out that inner Patti Smith from time to time — it’s just all in the way that they temper their feminine sensuality with rebellious masculinity. Granted, Smith herself probably wasn’t too fond of heels (or red lipstick) in her heyday, but what else could go better with a folded-up pair of ripped boyfriend jeans or a sexy tailored pantsuit? 

Stella Luna has set the standard when it comes to well-designed footwear and quality craftsmanship that is available at a much more reasonable price in comparison to designer shoes. It’s because of this that women run out to hoard pairs from their every collection, and this one is no different. With their signature high-octane style, their line for fall/winter encourages women to discover their own rebellious individuality that they might have never had the courage to express before. Tough zips and biker clothing details — one pair calls to mind Michael Jackson’s red jacket in Thriller — adorn the most dynamic set of heels, while raw leather straps and buckles are a nod to the recent utilitarian-chic trend.

Within all this toughness in the collection, however, still lies a femininity that would resonate with Smith: tuxedo bows and contrast toes lend movie-star elegance to the most daring of heels, while the finest stretch leathers and fabrics create the most sensual of silhouettes. The wide variety this season will allow women to emulate Smith’s self-described “Look at me, don’t look at me” attitude when it comes to fashion through their choice of footwear. While that choice may not necessarily include Johnny Depp’s own boots, Stella Luna’s latest collection is certainly the closest most women will ever get to them.  

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Stella Luna boutiques are located at 2/F Glorietta 4, 1/F Power Plant Mall, and 2/F Shangri-la Mall. It is also available at Adora, 2/F Greenbelt 5.

Tough but seductive street is embodied in this pair of boots from Stella Luna’s latest collection.