Giuseppe Zanotti Asymmetrical Eel Pumps, $595 via Net-a-Porter.

TalkShoes regulars know that I’ve been a bit Giuseppe Zanotti-obsessed lately, and the source of that obsession dates all the way back to when the brand’s Spring 2011 collection started its pre-orders this past fall. I’m not sure what happened to put the brand on such a phenomenal design course, but the results have been almost uniformly fantastic ever since. Today, it’s the Giuseppe Zanotti Asymmetrical Eel Pumps that are tickling my fancy. They look like Barbie shoes, and I mean that in the best and most nostalgic way possible.

After the color, the thing that struck me the most about this design was the height of the heel. I would imagine that this is just about as tall as a heel can get without a platform to offset the extra inches and still be functional as an actual shoe, and I’m sure that those among you who covet all the height that you can get will appreciate that. As a result, it also fulfill’s the season’s huge trend away from platforms and toward more traditional pumps, and the asymmetrical vamp opening and subtle texture of the eelskin make these shoes a little bit special without being gaudy or overdone. Barbie would approve. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $595.