The wet season's upon us, time for some new foot wear (not quite wellies!)

By John Roberts 27 April 2008 06:38:00

...the sky has dropped 100 ml in two days; the floor outside my room is covered in disoriented ex-flying termites; the weather is cool, fresh and green; I have seen my first Blue Winged Pitta of the season.

    All this can only mean one thing, I think I can officially proclaim the start of the wet season - it is quiet in camp and we are using the time to prepare for the deluge, Ke and the Galieng boys are getting a new roof, the eles are getting some concrete steps, the other houses are getting new roofs, it won't be long before everyone is asking for new boots to keep the dampness out from between the toes.

    Luckily, as I was browsing the fashion pages of the New York Times this morning an article caught my eye.

    It seems that Carolyn and Perry Butler have exceeded even their astounding previous efforts and have managed to persuade Manolo Blahnik to design a shoe for Nam Chok, Pumpui and all the other Foundation elephants - they won't be wearing them though, you get to wear them, we get the cash - since Lawan left I don't think any of the girls could carry a pair of high heels anyway!

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April 22nd, 2008 12:10 PM

Charity Walk | Blahnik Steps Up

By JILL FERGUS

Manolo Blahnik has helped out during many a crisis of footwear, but coming to the aid of Thai elephants? It's not such a stretch for the shoemaker, who just debuted a special-edition stiletto to benefit the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation. Blahnik got involved after Carolyn Butler, the owner of the Napa Valley shoe shop Footcandy, vacationed with her husband at the Four Seasons Tented Camp in northern Thailand. Butler fell in love with the resort's resident elephants and later convinced Blahnik to create the shoes, a pair of sexy pony-hair, leopard-print pumps with patent leather trim, three-and-a-half-inch heels and an open toe. All proceeds from the $645 shoes, which are sold exclusively at Footcandy (and can be shipped anywhere), go toward creating a safe haven for abused elephants.

Tags: footcandy, four seasons chiangmai, golden triangle asian elephant foundation, Jeffries Blackerby, Manolo Blahnik, Travel