In a way, I really like the Brian Atwood Balleto Platform Sandals. They’re clearly a shoe meant for women who don’t take themselves or their sartorial choices too seriously, and a sense of humor is an underrated virtue in the luxury business. The fact that these shoes exist makes me like Brian Atwood more as a designer, even though I wouldn’t buy them.

In an effort to load up on humor in this design, it seems as though Atwood forgot to add enough luxury to make the shoes balance correctly for high-dollar consumers. Generally, I think too many sexy shoes are regarded as “hooker heels” or stripper-appropriate, but this might be a pair for which that designation is somewhat deserved.

Fendi has shown us that lucite can be done in a way that’s both thought-provoking and aesthetically pleasing, but the intent is clearly different with these shoes. Unfortunately, the result is a little bit too kitschy to be genuinely cool – the stuck-on rhinestones and clear plastic straps give the curved lucite heel a context that doesn’t do anything to make it look luxurious. The design shows that Atwood is adventurous and willing to make fun footwear, but I’ll pass on this pair, particularly at this price point. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $2095.