Perception is built from the ground up.

In more ways than one, our assumptions about people begin at their feet. White, unscuffed trainers signify avoidance of imperfections. Well-worn boots showcase wisdom through journeys the wearer has collected in them. A pair of 120 mm Christian Louboutin pumps could signify the wearer has rediscovered the lost art of driving a car with a 3rd pedal.

I took this as a challenge.

While unmistakably unorthodox and incredibly impractical, I somehow kept finding myself determined to find the redline in my red bottoms. In what should have resulted in an insurance adjustment, I somehow found my heels to be better proven in the driver’s seat than in the streets.

What started as a tease quickly became a motif of mine, as friends would place bets on what shoes I was driving manual in next. I felt elated knowing my reputation was built on delusions of driving in archival designer.

With time, I learned not all heels are created equal behind the wheel. That realization sparked my scientific curiosity and led me to experimentation — on camera, because embarrassment only works if it’s documented.

Despite my low production budget, I chose to sensationalize the story properly by setting it amongst the humble habitat of a gilded age mansion. In the interest of journalistic integrity, I decided this was the only reasonable way to test the idea.

So my fixation began.

My first experiment needed to set the baseline of both style and performance. Hence how the suede 105 MM Manolo Blahnik pumps landed as the pilot.