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There is no question that Dolly Parton loved her shoes.
The country legend, who died on Aug. 25, has sparked a new wave of Dolly appreciation, but her singular style has always made headlines.
I’ve been an observant fan for years and have always been curious about her shoes. Yes, those uber-high platforms that helped the 5-foot-tall Parton meet everyone at her level caught everyone’s attention. In fact, it was Dolly who made the platform shoe style iconic. She became known for wearing them on and off the red carpet.
So, it was no surprise looking back into the archives that Footwear News had not only captured Dolly Parton’s iconic take on Western style since 1975, but also interviewed two of the designers who contributed to her collection of more than 2,000 bespoke shoes over the years.
Karlo Nazarian and Grisha Nazarian photographed in their Los Angeles studio during an interview with Footwear News, the “LA Designers” feature on Sept. 6, 1999. Fairchild Archive/FN
In 1999, FN interviewed the owners of Grisha’s Custom Shoes, founded by Grisha Nazarian, for a feature on Los Angeles designers titled “Stage Feet.”
Grisha’s, then located at Fairfax and Third, was known for creating custom pairs for Cher, Janet Jackson and Sharon Stone, among other celebrities. At the time, the store had outfitted Parton with a whopping 900 pairs of shoes.
Dolly Parton onstage during a benefit for Cornell Medical at the Waldorf-Astoria in 1985 and arriving for her “Slow Dancing With the Moon” platinum album listening party in New York in 1993. Fairchild Archive/WWD
In 2000, FN further established Parton as “the epitome of a shoe aficionado” when it featured designer Pasquale Di Fabrizio. Di Fabrizio had supplied her with more than 400 pairs, custom made to match every outfit she wore. At the time of the interview, Karlo Nazarian, Grisha Nazarian’s, son told FN that “[the shoes] were never worn twice.”
Dolly Parton was oft quoted as saying, “It takes a lot of money to look this cheap.”
But her shoes, like her persona, were never an afterthought. More recently, Christian Louboutin was among the designers who named collections after her.
She had a distinct appreciation for the world of fashion, and for the designers and custom craftsmanship behind every pair of shoes she wore. Her high-altitude sparkle, kitsch and unmistakable style could never be duplicated and will always be remembered as one-of-one.
