In Their Shoes

Kate Bellm and Dylan Don have a thing for other people’s shoes. But if you catch them at a party ogling someone’s Nicholas Kirkwoods with a fetishistic glint in their eyes, don’t be alarmed! They want to photograph the shoes, not lick them.

“In their Shoes” is an exhibition at Galerie M. H. Karst in Paris (30 rue de Malte, in the 11th arrondissement) that is the result of Kate and Dylan’s foot-focused pursuit. From a stripper’s studded platforms to Prince Michael of Kent’s tassled brogues, their taste in other people’s shoes varies. But when it comes to their own two feet, it’s all about the hotel slippers…

DD: When you are not shooting shoes, what are the subjects of your photography?
Kate: Usually fashion, but I also have a few documentary projects in South Carolina, where I go to photograph the Harley bikers. You can check it all out on http://katesworld.tumblr.com.
Dylan: I am represented in London and LA, so my clients vary quite a bit. I am mainly shooting fashion and advertisements, but also love to shoot portraits. You can see my work at www.dylansbackstage.tumblr.com.

DD: How did the idea for this exhibition come about?
Kate & Dylan: Well we have been shooting the shoe pictures for three years now. We came up with the idea one day in the pub when we saw some weird shoes on the carpet and started taking pictures of them. From there it’s history. We originally started it for a book, but the exhibition ended up happening first.

DD: The subjects and context of your pictures are unknown because all we see are their feet. So who is wearing the shoes, and where are they wearing them?
Kate: Everyone is wearing the shoes... mostly our friends, strippers, randomers, models, homeless people... you name it… we have a diverse crew in the pictures.
Dylan: It could be someone close to us, or a total stranger. It doesn't matter as long as the picture is interesting. The great thing is that if you shoot a stranger’s or a celebrity’s feet at some party, they don’t even realize or care, because it’s not in their face. For the "In Their Shoes" coffee-table book I want each picture to give the name of the person, the shoe brand, location and the date. I think it’s interesting to see who used to wear what and where. Imagine in 15
years time you will see a shoe picture of Madonna in front of some restaurant in New York and you will be saying "Yack!", was she really wearing those horrendous shoes?

DD: Are all of the images captured spontaneously?
Kate: They’re all spontaneous, but obviously sometimes you need to get someone to stop walking. But that’s about as much set up as goes into it.
Dylan: … And sometimes you have to push your subject in the right direction... but it’s usually the spontaneous ones that are the best.

DD: What qualities make a shoe picture-worthy for you?
Kate: Interesting shoes, interesting places... all the shoes tell a story about the people who are wearing them, where they've been, and where they want to go.
Dylan: Composition, colour and the shoes, of course. A crazy shoe can pull the whole image together.

DD: Tell me what shoes are on your feet right now?
Kate: Trainers! I don’t wear heels.
Dylan: I’m wearing hotel slippers: the most comfortable shoes when it’s above 20 degrees...

“In Their Shoes” is showing until the 30th November. All prints are for sale, with prices from 90-900 euros.