6ihf & large sizes -time to initiate something!

[Chorlini]

I can certainly appreciate the feelings of the OP, and actually all the posters. It basically comes down to geometry, and marketing: for a given change in shoe size (length), what do you want to do about the height?

- Some might argue for a constant angle. In this case, smaller sizes have shorter heels, larger sizes have higher heels.

- Others might argure for a constant height. In this case, the angle of the foot changes.

My guess is that constant angle might be preferred. If you put a size 6 shoe next to a size 10 shoe, both with the same angle, they'll probably look very similar. The sz 10 is obviously bigger, looking like it was scaled up, but the overall proportions will basically be the same.

If you go this route, then you'll have height variations in the heel. I never thought about it before, but one reasons many shoes have limited shoe sizes (some as limited as sz 6-10) could be that within a narrow size range, there's not a lot of variation in the heel height. I'm too lazy to pull out my geometry formulas, but I'd guess that for a 4" heel, if you limit that to sizes 6-10, it's probably about +/- 0.5" inches for heel height variation (sz 6, maybe 3.5"; size 10, maybe 4.5"). [Actually that 1/2" looks large, now I'm thinking it's probably less.] I'm sure for most customers, that variation is acceptable.

Now, instead of sz 6-10, imagine the size range was 5-12. That variation now is going to be much greater. Suddenly the 4" heel is feeling more like a 3.x" heel at the smallest size, and going towards 5" at the large size. That's perhaps more variation than the manufacturer wants. They can eliminate that of course by not doing simple scaling. Now, instead of having one design for all sizes, they might need need have one for say sz 5-9, and another one for 9.5-12. Now you have the extra expense, plus you have shoes that no longer look identical.

I'm not sure there's (literally) a 'one size fits all' answer to this issue.

Something like this perhaps?

http://shop.laszivo.com/index.php?cat=WG20&product=I100BBA

[hh&c fan]

Something like this perhaps?

http://shop.laszivo.com/index.php?cat=WG20&product=I100BBA

Something like that. Taking a look at some information fuss-schuhe.de provides for some of their shoes, you can see how much heel height has to differ to keep the same overall shape:

14 cm (34) / 14,5 cm (35 + 36) / 15 cm (37 + 38) / 15,5 cm (39 + 40) / 16 cm (41 + 42) / 16,5 cm (43 + 44) / 17 cm (45) / 17,5 cm (46)

[benno]

If you made a scale model ship, would you put a 30 foot high funnel on it? Any decent shoe designer will make sure the shoe is in proportion. They would want to see the design manufactured to look as they intended. Factories might use the same heel and/or platform on a small selection (say 3 sizes e.g 39, 40 and 41 EU) to cut down on costs. It's the same reason you see diving fins made to fit both 40-41 in one moulding.

[Roberto74]

I think a shoe is meant to be in a certain proportion and look/feel the same in all sizes! so scaling the heel-height up along with the shoesize is better then just a fixed heelheight... If one would want a 6" heel it therefor depends on the shoesize and I think a manufacturer should mention the right heel-height on its advertisement with every size.. (like fuss-schuhe.de does indeed) If the heelheight stays exactly 6" in all sizes someone with size 35EU would definately have a 'ultraheel' only for sitting in them and someone with size 46EU could run the marathon in them ( maybe a littlebit exaggerated...) and also a manufacturer then could skip the high and low end of the shoesizes for that shoetype as the tiny feet would not be able to wear them (or only if she would dare to:yummy:..) and the very big feet would not like the proportion anymore... Or the manufacturer for example can refer to 6" in a size EU38/39 that would be most the most common size in women as many designerbrands do, thus someone with size 35 or 41 would have about 1/2" lower/higher heel then and a man size 45 maybe a full 7" with that same proportion... if someone with size 35 or a size 43 wants exactly that 6" they should search for a type of shoe that has that height in that particular size.....

[Dr. Shoe]

If you made a scale model ship, would you put a 30 foot high funnel on it?

Any decent shoe designer will make sure the shoe is in proportion. They would want to see the design manufactured to look as they intended. Factories might use the same heel and/or platform on a small selection (say 3 sizes e.g 39, 40 and 41 EU) to cut down on costs. It's the same reason you see diving fins made to fit both 40-41 in one moulding.

When you're a designer, what you want and what you get are often two different things. The factory are only going to use the lasts they have. A minimum order for heels is 250 pairs (normally) and the same applies to insole boards, shanks, toe puffs and counters. Changing the heel height for every size adds to the cost because it means a new pattern has to be made from scratch rather than just scaling an existing pattern up for all the sizes. The aim of the game I'm afraid is maximum profits. A factory will be happy if they can save 5p a pair on manufacturing costs.

[Chorlini]

As they seem to have incrementally taller heels up to size 9 or 10, after which it remains the same I can only speculate that the market for larger sizes probably isn't large enough to warrant extra investment. Something I can understand as most retail shops don't bother to stock larger sizes as well. And of course, there's still the tiny detail that they are still selling what they are supposed to do, 6 inch heels. If anything its the smaller sizes that get shafted because you think you are ordering a 6 inch heel shoe when instead at size 5 you actually get a 5 inch heel.

[benno]

I personally don't care about the exact height, as long as I get a shoe with the proportions I saw advertised.

[hh&c fan]

When you're a designer, what you want and what you get are often two different things. The factory are only going to use the lasts they have. A minimum order for heels is 250 pairs (normally) and the same applies to insole boards, shanks, toe puffs and counters. Changing the heel height for every size adds to the cost because it means a new pattern has to be made from scratch rather than just scaling an existing pattern up for all the sizes. The aim of the game I'm afraid is maximum profits. A factory will be happy if they can save 5p a pair on manufacturing costs.

Actually I don't really understand that pattern thing. Please tell me about it. What I think is:

1. when the heel height stays same for all sizes, the overall proportion gets different, so new patterns are needed for this too.

2. When the heel height changes, the shape of the shoe stays the same. So scaling up the pattern and maybe adjusting it for wider feet would be enough.

@everyone: Yep of course 6ihf wants to make money. The important thing is, couldn't this be more lucrative if they do this? I know that in the 'extreme' section - which is the right category for 6ihf - lots of buyers are men; and due to this poll (hoping for a lot more votes!!!) it looks like most ppl have the same opinion.

Another point is - just kinda frustrating - that almost every high heel manufacturer does this, not only the big ones like Pleaser[not for each size but still ok] but also e.g. Leatherworks, Italian Heels etc. And to my mind 6ihf has the greatest designs of all manufacturers. But 6ihf is one of the manufacturers who won't do this scaling!

[hh&c fan]

Just sent an email to 6ihf telling them about this poll and its results. Now we'll see if this can change anyones opinion or at least make 6ihf rethinking about this.

[Shafted]

Just sent an email to 6ihf telling them about this poll and its results. Now we'll see if this can change anyones opinion or at least make 6ihf rethinking about this.

I think that you are asking them to abandon their niche market. I'll say it again, "They sell six inch heels, the name says it all."

[hh&c fan]

I think that you are asking them to abandon their niche market. I'll say it again, "They sell six inch heels, the name says it all."

No they don't. Sorry I'm a bit tired of explaining it. Just take a close look at their homepage and especially their heel height info table.

And as you can see a lot ppl are thinking the same.

[Shafted]

I took a look at their website and I must say it's changed alot in their product offerings from years ago. Looks like product sizing changed with their name.

[hh&c fan]

hey gals an' guys, as it's so hard to find anything really cool in large sizes, I'm going to clear away that problem (at least for me) - please have a look at http://www.hhplace.org/shoe_repair_modifications/20900-going_create_high_heels_myself.html#post294192

[Dr. Shoe]

Actually I don't really understand that pattern thing. Please tell me about it. What I think is:

1. when the heel height stays same for all sizes, the overall proportion gets different, so new patterns are needed for this too.

2. When the heel height changes, the shape of the shoe stays the same. So scaling up the pattern and maybe adjusting it for wider feet would be enough.

When you scale a pattern up you add two thirds to the back and one third to the front of the shoe. This has an effect of flattening the pitch of the shoe. The width is scaled up as a third of the increase in length.