Of All The Shoes At Fashion Month, These Are The Ones Worth Knowing

Shoes don’t always get the glory they deserve on the runway. After all, who can actually see what’s on the model’s feet unless you’re actually there and sitting front row? So just in case you haven’t had a moment to zoom in and squint at imagery from every single collection from this past Fall/Winter 2024 fashion month, I’m here to assure you: the footwear situation for this coming autumn is a good one. There’s plenty of fresh and compelling trends to get amped about, but nothing so out there that you’ll have to talk yourself into trying it.

Boots of all shapes and sizes were a reoccurring theme throughout the shows. At Chanel and Sacai, that translated into the return of the oft-controversial thigh-high silhouette; Hermés and Dior, on the other hand, leaned into hardware-heavy stompers. And while there were a fair amount of flats to choose from, it did seem like we may be about to witness the triumphant return of pumps (or at least wedges!) as the industry’s statement accessory of choice. Chloé and Versace went for sexy ankle-strap styles; Loewe and Prada leaned into sensible kitten heights in fun colors; and Tory Burch and Schiaparelli offered up options with wickedly cool curved heels.

More details on these defining designs and other stand out shoe moment below.

Hue Look Good

Mega-houses like Loewe, Prada, and Isabel Marant demonstrated the easiest way to make your look a little more fun: just slide on a low pump in playful candy color. Consider it the easiest way to expand your personal style without fully flipping your neutral-heavy closet.

Ahead Of The Curve

Turning inward in a futuristic way, the sloping heel shapes at Tory Burch, Schiaparelli, and Jil Sander feel just off-kilter enough to make anything you wear them with appear high fashion. In short? They’re just the way to subtly rebel against your office’s straight edge dress code.

Grandpa Knows Best

There’s the “Eclectic Grandpa” look of early 2024 and then there’s what’s been happening on the catwalk, which seems to be a straight-up homage to the sensible, ergonomically crafted footwear of a debonair 70-something year old man who attends Bingo every Thursday at 5pm. See: Miu Miu, who went for a no-nonsense monkstrap flat, and Max Mara, which was dominated by a natty black loafer look. And Proenza Schouler, the pinnacle of NYC cool, created the perfect worn-in-already moccasin to slide on before running to your local bodega.

Strap In

If this spring is all about shoes with a dainty, jewelry-like strap at the top, the look is getting a little more substantial for fall. Versace and Chloé both went for thick bands of material balanced by a low vamp; Ferragamo’s fiery red T-strap heel felt extra saucy thanks to a few extra ankle wraps.

Stack ‘Em High

Whispers of the wedge’s return have been running through industry conversations for a few years now. But considering the sleek, sculptural options presented at Dries Van Noten, Valentino — whose aggressively pointy version is the ultimate alternative to a b*tchy black pump — and Burberry, there’s no way the look won’t dominate in 6 months.

Stomp The Yard

There’s just something so badass about a big heavy boot covered in metal details. Hermés, Dior, and McQueen all understood and embraced this truth by bedecking knee and ankle-length silhouettes alike with chunky zippers and buckles.

Tall Order

Love it or hate it, over-the-knee boots are about to be everywhere, so you might as well embrace them as an option to skip tights as long as you can. See the style’s transitional weather potential with some help from Gucci, Sacai, and Chanel, who paired the leggy design with hot pants, a mini skirt, and a high-low dress, respectively.