Growing up, Tiffany Tuttle spent her days perfecting her arabesques, pirouettes, and plies at the Nevada Ballet Theatre in Las Vegas, dancing several grueling hours at a time. Though ballet was her central focus, her heartstrings were pulling her in other directions and eventually led her to Princeton, where she graduated with a degree in European History. It was there that she caught the fashion bug: after studying fashion design at F.I.T., she trained under Givenchy and Rebecca Taylor. Realizing shoe design was her true calling, she moved to Milan to study the craft full-time at Ars Sutoria.

Yeah—sometimes the path to realization is roundabout.

But Tuttle's classical ballet background remained a constant throughout. Always fascinated by the lines of the foot, the arches of the heel; the former ballerina channeled her knack for the art of dance into the art of the shoe. LD Tuttle was launched in 2005 with her husband Richard Lipinsky, who co-designs the collection, out of their Los Angeles stomping grounds. But each season, the duo flies back and forth from their home to northern Italy where the shoes are meticulously made. With an eye (er, four eyes) for edginess, but also a commitment to wearability, Team LD Tuttle turns out shoes that are architectural, structured, and strong, but still feminine.

Sexy cut-out detailing dominates the impeccable spring collection. If long, strong ballerina legs are what you're after, "The Ringleader," with its 4 and a half inch stacked heel, will deliver. Black patent leather webs decorate "The Exhibitionist Cage Sandal," a provocative pair that's polished and en pointe. "The Suit", a smart pair of lace-up, open-toed oxfords, will please the high-minded, while "The Pacifist," a flatter version, is perfect for a ballerina off-duty—easily the best casual sandal we've seen all spring.

And Tuttle's upcoming fall collection is equally swoon-inducing: don't miss it at our Styles 2008 Fashion & Awards Show!

For more information please visit www.ldtuttle.com.

-Kristi Garced

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Similar Topics:accessories, fashion, shopping, Styles 2008

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