We have all seen Lady Gaga walk around in her 9 Inch heel-less shoes and wonder in amazement how she keeps herself up; well here I am going to introduce you to the man behind these infamous shoes, Noritaka Tatehana. Tatehana was born and raised in Japan and started creating shoes at the age of 15. Now, at only 25, he just graduated from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts, where he launched his collection of luxurious shoes and handbags. When asked in an interview where his design inspiration comes from Tatehana explains how he has an interest in history and tries to makeover the old culture and bring it into the modern world [style.mtv.com, Sharon Clott]. His heel-less shoe specifically was inspired from “Kan Pokkuri”, clogs made from empty cans.  Noritaka Tatehana, while new to the fashion scene, has already made a huge impact on the fashion world. We are excited to see what is next from this designer. His new collection will be released this May, and he hopes to design a full collection with strong artistic elements in the future, where he can present at Paris Fashion Week. 

By: Jaclyn Graver