Haute Couture Week is well underway, with exquisite, museum-worthy shoes making their way down the Paris runways from designers including Chanel, Christian Dior and Versace.

To celebrate, the award-winning architect behind the London Aquatics Centre, Zaha Hadid, has joined forces with United Nude's creative director Rem D Koolhaas to create her own interpretation of the couture shoe – a metallic chromed vinyl rubber piece with a gravity-defying 16cm heel.

With an ergonomic design and architectural silhouette, the clever construction gives the impression that the staggering heel is entirely unsupported, making it quite the show-stopping piece – perfect for a couture shoe.

“I have always appreciated those who dare to experiment with materials and proportions,” explains Hadid. “Our collaboration with United Nude reinterprets the classic shoe typology; pushing the boundaries of what is possible without compromising integrity.”

“Zaha consistently reinvents the program with her own ideas and interpretations. Her visionary creations are often unexpected, yet reinforce their origins,” says Koolhaas. “I could not resist the challenge to work with Zaha. We gave ourselves the greatest degree of experimentation and used the latest digital design and manufacturing technologies to create one of the most innovative shoes ever produced.”

The limited edition shoe is only available at very select stores, including L’Eclaireur in Paris, and Zaha Hadid Design and United Nude online.

GO TO: OUR FAVOURITE COUTURE SHOES FOR AUTUMN/WINTER 13