The latest episode of ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” featured a surprise shoe moment on Ariana Madix, who wore sparkly Keds sneakers instead of dance heels. Due to an unexpected foot injury, the “Vanderpump Rules” star’s footwear was customized by costume designer Daniella Gschwendtner with a 12-hour turnaround for the “Motown Night” episode.
“We custom-dyed them to match her dress — and then we rhinestoned them heavily in a rose gold stone to make them look pretty,” Gschwendtner exclusively told FN. “I used a shoe that I knew was popular with the dancers, because it’s lightweight, it’s still sturdy and flat and has a rubber sole.”
The show’s ballroom dress codes don’t allow sneakers, though accommodations were made for Madix. Traditionally, each episode’s dance style determines which shoes celebrities wear, which Gschwendtner will craft with her team or at a shoe shop.
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“The easiest way for us is to just paint them and rhinestone them to match the outfit,” Gschwendtner said. “But sometimes if it’s a really specific color or really specific fabric that we really want to tie everything together, we have also covered shoes — which means the shoemaker takes the shoe apart, covers it and puts it back together.”
As the show’s 32nd season continues, Gschwendtner will use her 15 years of “DWTS” experience to address emergencies like Madix’s.
“We’re going to accommodate whatever the doctor suggests for her and whatever feels best for her,” Gschwendtner said. “Certainly when something comes up, we have to think fast and we have to fix it fast, and we have learned over the years what the best, fastest fixes are — so this didn’t throw me too bad.”
On Wednesday, Madix and dance partner Pasha Pashkov tied for first place with 34 points, alongside Jason Mraz and his dance partner, Daniella Karagach. You can watch Madix’s performance below on YouTube.
“Dancing With the Stars” features celebrities and professional dancers competing in weekly themed dances. The show’s 32nd season cast includes Madix and Mraz, as well as Jamie Lynn Spears, Harry Jowsey and more. Viewers can watch new episodes on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.
About the Author:
Aaron Royce is the Digital Editor for Footwear News, where he writes stories on trending news, celebrity style, collaborations and in-depth profile interviews. Prior to joining Footwear News, Aaron wrote and interned for publications including PAPER, Grazia and the Daily Front Row. He currently holds a B.S. in mass communications from Virginia Commonwealth University.
