How One Shoemaker Is Crafting Pumps From Moon Rocks
As a billionaire boys’ club continues to take trips into space, shoemaker Rose Mercier is placing the moon at the feet of women here on earth
“I wanted to create something rare, unique, different and at the same time, I have always been fascinated by the moon; a symbol of femininity and mystery,” explained Rose Mercier exclusively to Harper’s Bazaar Arabia about her decision to launch a wholly unprecedented and limited edition line of women’s footwear. A line that uses actual moon fragments to create the heels of each of the 52 pairs in her debut shoe collection.
Rose worked alongside the renowned Parisian shoemaker Maison Massaro to craft her footwear and teamed up with meteorite hunter, Luc Labenne to source the raw materials. Luc scoured the earth to find enough moon rocks, most of which are over 4 billion years old, to meet the demand of the 1.6oz needed to create each heel. Quite a challenge, considering that only a mere 44 pounds are unearthed each year, compared to the 3,260 tonnes of gold or the 29.4 tonnes of diamonds that are dug up annually.
It is a technological feat that has never been done before and it took over two years of development to transform lunar meteorites into the slender and strong heels that finish off each pair of made-to-order shoes. The collection has three models and each one was given a name that is a nod to the Moon Goddess in Roman mythology, there are the Daine sandals, the Luna mules and the Trivia pumps.
But Rose is no stranger to creating striking footwear. She comes from a family of cobblers and grew up with a passion for shoes. “Since I was little, I would rather play with the shoes at the back of my parents’ store than with my own toys,” confessed Rose. “I imagined the lives of the people who would wear them, their history, their dreams, the occasions they would wear them. And I find myself doing the same thing today when I design shoes. A pair of shoes has a magical power: they will get you in a heartbeat. They’ll make you feel more confident, attractive, stronger,” she added.
Speaking of heartbeats, those that want to snap up a set of these shoes might feel theirs skip a beat when they learn that they will have to fork over €210,769 (Dhs901,358.90) to purchase a pair. The price tag is a nod to the date 21.07.69, the day that Neil Armstrong made his “giant leap for mankind”. Rose’s choice to only make 52 pairs is also significant, in that it is also the exact number of years since man first walked on the moon.
“These shoes were designed for women who will recognise themselves in the values of the brand, in its powerful message. Refined and elegant women who love rarity, exclusivity, singularity and daring of course,” proclaimed Rose. And it looks like, until the first woman actually walks on the moon, which is part of NASA’s plan for the 2024 Artemis program, the only way a woman will be able to truly walk among the stars is by slipping on a pair of Rose Mercier’s moon heels.
Images supplied.