Who wants to be in cobra’s shoes?

TO THEIR high society owners, a pair of haute couture shoes can be a precious thing.

But to guard a $120,000 pair of ruby— sapphire — and diamond-encrusted Renè Caovilla sandals at their London launch, retailer Harrods went to extreme lengths: bringing in a live Egyptian cobra to patrol the shoe counter.

Whether hiring a poisonous snake is, strictly speaking, the most effective means of guarding precious footwear might be a moot point with security experts.But it makes for a pretty effective photo opportunity.