Stephin Merritt inspires shoes, preps music for Neil Gaiman

What do you do when you find yourself so inspired by the Magnetic Fields' 69 Love Songs album you call it "the most beautiful CD of the 20th century"? You make shoes, apparently.

French shoe company Bluedy has created a line of footwear inspired by Magnetic Fields frontman Stephin Merritt, available in a variety of black and brown leathers The Merritt-influenced shoes are the second the company has created in homage to a musician (the first being Jimi Hendrix). And according to its website, more are forthcoming.

For what it's worth, they look quite snazzy. For purchasing information, head here.

Meanwhile, Merritt is responsible for crafting the music and lyrics to the Off-Broadway theatrical adaptation of Neil Gaiman's gothic children's fantasy Coraline. The theatrical version will debut May 6, 2009 in New York, but will be preceded by a film adaptation from stop-motion animation extraordinaire Henry Selick (director of the holiday favorite The Nightmare Before Christmas). Selick's Coraline will be released Feb. 6, 2009. For a behind-the-scenes look of the film, head here. And watch an absolutely chilling (short) clip below: