Shoes are taking two very different paths this season – one toward sleek, understated elegance, the other toward bold shapes that demand attention.
For minimalists, the most wearable option is the high-vamp heel, a retro silhouette defined by an elongated upper that covers much of the foot.
Designers have refreshed the vintage shape in the season’s key colours, including butter yellow and olive green. Loewe paired the silhouette with a black miniskirt and a muted knit sleeveless top.
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Mountain boots have returned as another dependable choice.
Miu Miu presented its collection on a runway covered in wet soil and grass, then sent out heavy mountain boots with chunky soles and D-ring eyelets. The leather was aged for a worn finish.
Prada styled its teak leather laced bootie under delicate dresses, a contrast that turns sturdy footwear into a sophisticated, feminine look.
At the more decorative end, the T-strap heel has resurfaced with updates.
First popular in the 1920s, the style appeared at Dior trimmed with florals, at Calvin Klein in an open-back cut and at Givenchy finished with feathers. Oversized coats and full trousers balance its slim profile.
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Two-tone shoes are also on trend.
At Chanel, Matthieu Blazy reworked the house's classic pump into a two-tone version with a high-vamp (upper section that extends farther up the top of the foot). Isabel Marant and Ferragamo showed their own colour-blocked versions.
That said, the season's strangest ideas came from designers who treated shoes as a canvas for illusion.
At Balenciaga, Pierpaolo Piccioli has raised the vamp so the foot appears to float inside the shoe, an effect he heightened with a small ribbon tucked inside.
Victoria Beckham achieved a similar trompe-l'oeil result by subtly extending the heel, making the shoe look a size too big, recalling the memory of slipping into a parent's heels. – The Korea Herald
