For most of the 2010s, the most important shoe in fashion was a sneaker — first a minimal white one, then an increasingly enormous one. Shoes were comfortable, practical and, for the most part, background. This season, they have stepped into the foreground.
Why shoes, why now
When clothes relax — and they have, dramatically — the shoe becomes the easiest place to add intent. A plain trouser and knit look completely different with a pointed heel than with a running shoe. Designers know this, which is why this season's collections were full of shoes that ask to be noticed: jacquard pumps, sculptural boots, heels in unexpected colours.
Three ways in
- The printed heel. Pattern on a classic shape is the most wearable statement.
- The serious boot. A real heel and a welted sole change how trousers fall.
- The colourful flat. For people who will not wear heels, colour does the same work.
Compare
Mira Calder Demo listing
Floral Jacquard Pump
- Price
- $395
- Retailer
- Northfold
- Availability
- Limited
- Our take
- A statement shoe that makes a plain black dress feel deliberate.
Arlo Demo listing
Lace-Up Leather Boot
- Price
- $340
- Retailer
- Lowfield
- Availability
- In stock
- Our take
- A boot with a proper heel, which changes how trousers fall.
Plainform Demo listing
Minimal Court Sneaker
- Price
- $220
- Retailer
- Kiosque
- Availability
- In stock
- Our take
- The sneaker we recommend most often, because it disappears into whatever you wear.
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What it means for the rest of your outfit
Let the shoe lead. Keep the clothes simple, the colours few, and the hem at a length that shows the shoe off. A statement shoe works best when everything else agrees to be quiet.
