Fashion: FALL ISSUE : The Classic Touch

This fall, shoes and boots are inspired by classic designs, including at least one that is completely unexpected.

Consider the biker boot. Bruce Springsteen wears the real thing in concert. Motorcyclists seem to live in them. Now Chanel has its version, to wear with evening gowns as well as daytime suits.

“We’ve sold every biker boot we can get our hands on,” says Pamela Phillippi, who manages the I. Magnin shoe department.

Several shoe designers have added the look to their fall lines. Prices vary to fit pocketbooks--from less than $100 to about $1,000.

Beyond bikers, the trend is toward cleaner, leaner shapes.

“Boots are close to the leg. Shoes are sleek. Clunky is out,” sums up Shauna Stein, whose Beverly Center boutique is a shoe ogler’s oasis.

There is more suede than leather, especially in rich shades of burgundy, forest green and brown. And a buckle or an ankle strap is the newest alternative to decorative trim.

Low heels, some no taller than an inch, are overshadowing flats. Low- and midheel versions vary in shape, but most are of the modified hourglass contour.

While biker boots are being scaled up to designer level, classic handbags from Hermes and Gucci are being scaled down. Blatant imitators sold at a fraction of the price are crowding specialty stores.

The Hermes “Kelly” bag, named for Grace Kelly, and the Gucci bamboo style, named for its unusual handle, are being recast at various quality levels, starting at less than $100.

Bags with structured shapes look newest.

“Structured handbags with small handles sell when they have an additional shoulder strap,” notes Robert Rosenthal, fashion director of Macy’s South and Bullock’s.

Beyond definite shapes, the detail that sets bags apart is jewelry--especially on handles.