Rick Owens Thigh-High Boots with Shagreen Soles

Ah, shagreen . . . our favorite type of leather. Originally crafted from an onager (fancy word for wild ass, tee hee), shagreen is now commonly made from sharks and stingrays. The word itself derives from the French word chagrin which means anxiety; this is, no doubt, a reference to the rough granular surface of the skin. I like that shagreen in particular is often the hyde of choice for the handles of swords and daggers, as the rasping surface is preferable in a duel to a slippery surface, for obvious reasons. We like to think that it's this danger element to what is normally considered an elegant material that allured Mr. Owens into creating these boots. Crafted using a signature Owens black leather, these thigh-high or scrunched-low numbers have the most decadent shagreen soles. In a size 40 and in mint condition. Available for $950.