The only time I bought a lot of high-end expensive shoes was during the bling bling era from 2000 to 2004, period.
At the time in the early aughts, I worked at Fendi on Fifth Avenue as a salesperson, and I had friends working at neighboring stores. The reason why I was able to buy a lot of expensive shoes in my early 20s was because we used to give employees’ discounts to each other. I have donated many pairs from these days to date. After over a decade, below are some of the pairs that I have kept from those days.
Gianni Versace from 2001
These are Gianni Versace open-toe pumps I purchased from Versace on Fifth Avenue in 2001. At the time, Versace had stores both on Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue while the store I worked at, Fendi, only had one flagship store in the five boroughs, located on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. It was before those luxury European brands started opening their stores down in SoHo.
Gianni Versace from 2002
I got these Gianni Versace sandals from Versace on Madison Avenue. I loved these sandals so much, and I wore them every summer until 2005. In 2006, I wasn’t sure about the shape of the heels anymore. They were no longer the kind of style I wanted to wear and I didn’t wear them for more than a decade. However, I didn’t get rid of them, thinking that I could wear them sometime in the future again. I believe the time is this summer.
Gucci from 2002
These are Gucci pumps I got from their flagship store on Fifth Avenue in 2002. Those were the days when logos were very popular. Gucci logos were the most popular at the time, and Louis Vuitton and Fendi were the second popular. People who wore urban street fashion gear, such as baggy jeans, wore a belt and/or sneakers with the Gucci logo. Logos were not for me. I never liked to wear any logos or brand names on myself.
I had some bags with Fendi logos only because I was affiliated with Fendi. I didn’t find many items I liked at Gucci at the time, but I fell in love with these shoes. These are made with very soft calf skin, and they are still soft after 17 years. Good things really last forever.