经济学人 | 法国女性为何不再穿高跟鞋？

Why French women no longer wear high heels

法国女性为何不再穿高跟鞋

A footwear revolution in the world’s fashion capital

世界时尚之都的鞋履革命

The high-heeled shoe, popular among men in pre-revolutionary France, is losing favour among women on the streets of Paris. The once familiar click of stiletto on cobble is giving way to the silence of rubber soles. Today fashion writers offer French women advice on “les chunky boots”: heavy, black, grooved-sole footwear.

在法国大革命前，高跟鞋深受法国男性的喜爱，但如今在巴黎街头正逐渐被女性所抛弃。曾经熟悉的细高跟踩在鹅卵石上发出的咔哒声正被橡胶鞋底的寂静所取代。如今，时尚作家们向法国女性推荐了“厚底靴”：厚重、黑色、有沟槽的鞋底。

Trainers, once derided in the beaux quartiers as an American abomination , are now a daily feature in Parisian cafés and offices. Nearly half of French women, according to a poll, do not know how to walk in high heels. What is going on?

运动鞋曾在巴黎的高级住宅区被讥讽为美国人的厌恶之物，现在却成了巴黎咖啡馆和办公室的日常用品。一项民意调查显示，近一半的法国女性穿上高跟鞋就不太会走路了。这是怎么回事？

Modern France helped to make the female high heel iconic. Roger Vivier, a French designer, is considered to be the godfather of the stiletto, having designed the aiguille (needle) heel back in 1954.

现代法国促使高跟鞋成为女性的标志性符号。法国设计师罗杰·维维亚被认为是细高跟鞋之父，他早在1954年就设计出了“针”形高跟鞋。

He was the first to insert a metal rod into the heel, stiffening its structure and stretching the female silhouette. The brand still calls stiletto heels “tools of unstoppable seduction ”.

他是第一个在鞋跟中插入金属杆的人，使鞋跟结构更加坚固，也突显了女性的身材曲线。该品牌至今仍将细高跟鞋称为“无法抵挡的性感尤物”。

Christian Louboutin, a French luxury designer, gave the 10cm-high heel a twist with his famous red-soled stiletto, a pair of which goes for around €800 ($870).

而法国奢侈品牌设计师克里斯提·鲁布托则为10厘米高的高跟鞋注入了新的元素，他设计的红色鞋底细高跟鞋售价高达800欧元（约合870美元）。

Today’s disappearing French high heel is explained in part by covid-19 and the way working from home has spread le look casual. It may also mark a form of post-#MeToo rebellion.

如今很难见到穿高跟鞋的法国人了，这在一定程度上要归咎于新冠肺炎，以及在家工作的方式让人们看起来更休闲。它也可能标志着一种后MeToo时代的反叛。

A younger generation is turning against the stiletto’s figure-deforming nature—nodded to in the film “Barbie”, whose star’s feet no longer fall flat when relieved of her heels.

年轻一代开始反对细高跟会使身材变形的特性——电影《芭比娃娃》中就提到了这一点，电影中芭比的脚在脱下高跟鞋后不再 是扁平的 。

During the festive season the high heel—or at least a block version of it—may be enjoying a revival. But this could be fleeting. On the French high street, the trend seems entrenched .

在节假日期间，高跟鞋（至少是粗跟鞋）可能会迎来短暂的复兴。但这或许只是昙花一现。在法国街头，这股潮流似乎已经根深蒂固。

“Oh là là, non! That’s over,” says a Parisian shoe-shop manager when asked if she sells many stilettos, waving at the limited range she has relegated to an upper shelf.

“哦， 不，已经结束了！” 巴黎一家鞋店的经理在被问及她是否售出很多高跟鞋时说道：“那已经结束了。” 她挥了挥手，示意将本就很少的高跟鞋摆放到货架上层。

“Women want comfort,” says an assistant at another store. “What matters is that you can wear flat chunky boots with an elegant dress, and still be chic.”

另一家商店的女店员说：“女性要的是舒适。” 重要的是，你可以穿着平底厚靴搭配优雅的连衣裙，而且依然看起来很时髦。