Eccentric designer becomes famous again thanks to a shoe

Recently an iron shoe priced at around 1,300 has sparked heated discussion in international diplomatic circles.

The reason is that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, hosted a dinner at home on May 2 for Japanese Prime Minister Abe and his wife. The dinner was prepared by celebrity chef Segev Moshe.

When Segev Moshe placed his dessert, a delicious chocolate praline, on an Oxford-style iron shoe and set it on the table in front of Abe and his wife, Abe's smile looked extremely awkward.

However, Segev Moshe did not notice. He posted this natural and perfect clever idea on his Instagram, and it immediately caused an uproar.

The photo also triggered criticism from Japanese domestic media, which regarded it as disrespectful to their prime minister. Afterward, many international media outlets also began to pay attention to this cultural misunderstanding. In the end, even Israeli media thought this diplomatic dinner was a complete failure, since it showed a lack of understanding of the meaning of shoes in Japanese culture.

Because for Japanese people, shoes cannot be worn into the house, let alone placed on the table.

Japanese homes generally have an entryway, and guests must change their shoes before entering. Many historic sites and temples open to tourists even have signs at the entrance reading "No shoes allowed."

Under such customs, actually putting a shoe on the table to entertain distinguished guests was not only improper, but even carried a slight meaning of insult or mockery.

No wonder an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson quickly denied it, saying: This is not a shoe meant to be worn, it is a limited-edition artwork by the well-known British designer Tom Dixon. At the same time, they also stated: We did not know in advance that the chef would use this as a dessert container.

Tom Dixon, who was innocently dragged into this affair this time, seems to be little known among friends in China, but this superstar-level designer has a huge number of fans around the world.

Tom Dixon, who once released records and served as a band's bassist, came from the UK. After a major motorcycle accident, he was forced to leave the music work he loved. Relying on the skills he had taught himself in electric welding, he began making furniture of his own design.

The furniture he designed and the welded works he created on stage attracted many people who eagerly sought to collect them, such as the international fashion magazine and Mario Testino, the photographer favored by the British royal family. And just like that, almost by accident, Tom Dixon formally changed careers and began his career in welded creation and furniture design!

Tom Dixon is indeed very different. In 1987, the "S Chair" he designed for the well-known Italian furniture manufacturer Cappellini put him on the stage as a design star. This chair also attracted the attention of a wide range of media and numerous well-known museums, and the "S Chair" is currently collected by art museums such as MoMA.

Later, Tom Dixon went on to create for many well-known design brands, such as the large furniture retail chain Habitat, the Finnish furniture brand Artek, the well-known Italian furniture manufacturer Magis, and so on. In 2002, he officially founded his own namesake brand, "Tom Dixon."

The Chair was designed by Tom Dixon in 1992 and consists of a steel construction made from skillful metalwork

Although Tom Dixon is already called a design master, he often loudly declares: "I am not a master."

"I hope the works I create are durable and long-lasting, while also carrying an anti-fashion element." (I design for longevity, and I want something to be anti-fashion.)

The iron shoe that caused controversy this time uses aluminum and aluminum alloy as materials, poured into a specially made Oxford shoe mold, and then respectively finished with black baked paint and copper plating. From the toe to the heel, every part has delicate carved patterns.

Like an ordinary shoe, it also has space inside. If you suddenly feel like trying on this iron shoe, you probably will not even be able to lift your leg. This is Tom Dixon's humor and subversive quality.

However, Tom Dixon's rebelliousness in overturning tradition was this time accidentally put into concrete practice by chef Segev Moshe.

It is imaginable that this iron shoe has added yet another legendary story people enjoy telling to Tom Dixon's extraordinary life.