Footwear in fashion has never been just a functional detail of an image. It is through shoes, boots or sandals that designers work with form, proportions and silhouette. Sometimes this footwear looks like a sculpture. Sometimes – like an ironic gesture or a conscious provocation. In any case, it is always a thoughtful author's decision. This is especially clearly visible at couture and conceptual shows. It is there that models appear that go beyond the usual idea of shoes. This material collects the most fantastic examples of shoes that have left a noticeable mark on its history.
Thierry Mugler – wedge ankle boots in the shape of a goat's hoof
In 1984, Thierry Mugler showed platform boots with a concave heel, which were called “goat hooves”. These shoes looked unusual and daring. The shape of the heel broke the usual ideas about the design of heeled shoes. For the mid-1980s, such a decision was radical. These ankle boots became one of the first examples of a sculptural approach to the design of heeled shoes. Mugler demonstrated that the heel can be not only a support, but also the main element of the form. After this show, experiments with non-standard heels began to actively appear in the collections of other brands.
Jean Paul Gaultier – spiked heels
In the spring-summer 1994 season, Jean-Paul Gaultier introduced high-heeled shoes with metal spikes inspired by football boots. The combination of a sporty pair and the classic shape of high-heeled shoes looked bold and unexpected. This model showed that high-heeled shoes could work with different cultural contexts. Gaultier was one of the first to integrate sports elements into high fashion. After that, sports motifs in high-heeled shoes began to appear in many collections and gradually became established as a separate direction.
Balenciaga — designer sandals
In 2007, Nicolas Ghesquière introduced bright high-heeled shoes for Balenciaga, which received the unofficial name Lego. The pair was decorated with elements reminiscent of the details of the designer. They had a clear geometric shape and an expressive silhouette. These sandals became iconic for Balenciaga. They emphasized the brand's interest in architectural forms and experiments with proportions. The model quickly became recognizable in fashion media and established Balenciaga's reputation as a brand that boldly works with the shape of high-heeled shoes.
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Alexander McQueen – Armadillo boots
Plato's Atlantis collection became one of the most important in the history of the Alexander McQueen brand. It was in it that the legendary Armadillo boots appeared – one of the most famous shoe models in modern fashion. The platform was very high, and the silhouette was curved and almost fantastic. These boots completely changed the idea of u200bu200bthe possibilities of shoe design. They looked like part of a stage costume, and not like an everyday pair. Armadillo became a cult model and is still considered one of the most radical examples of designer courage.
Prada – wedge sandals with flame “tongues”
In the spring-summer 2012 season, Prada introduced wedge sandals with decorative flame “tongues”. The design looked dynamic and easily recognizable. This model quickly appeared in street style and fashion shoots. These Prada sandals became one of the symbols of the early 2010s. They proved that high-heeled shoes can be both commercially successful and conceptually strong.
Thom Browne — dolphin shoes
In the spring-summer 2020 collection, Thom Browne presented heeled shoes in the shape of dolphins. Such shoes were more reminiscent of a sculptural object than a pair that you can actually walk in. The model emphasized the theatricality and conceptual approach of the Thom Browne brand. This is an example of how designer imagination can completely rethink a familiar form.
Y/Project — the glass slipper
In the fall-winter 2021/2022 season, Glenn Martens for Y/Project, in collaboration with the Melissa brand, created a modern interpretation of Cinderella's shoe. These were transparent shoes with low heels that visually resembled the glass shoe from the famous fairy tale. The shoes were actively discussed on social networks and fashion reviews. This pair became a vivid example of how a fairy tale plot can be reinterpreted in modern fashion.
Loewe – sandals with egg-shaped heels
For the spring-summer 2022 season, Jonathan Anderson presented sandals with heels in the shape of a broken egg for Loewe. The heel looked like a shell with yolk oozing out of it. Such a decision could not fail to attract attention and this model quickly went viral. It demonstrated Anderson's ability to work with irony and sculptural form. These sandals cemented the brand's reputation as one of the most daring in modern shoe design.
Loewe – bullet-shaped heels
In the autumn-winter 2022/2023 season, Loewe showed shoes with heels in the shape of a ball. The heel had a simple geometric shape, but looked unconventional. This model demonstrates that a minimalist solution can also be spectacular. Shoes with heels in the shape of balloons became another example of an experiment with form, which distinguishes Loewe from other brands.
Schiaparelli – sandals with decorative nails
In the spring-summer 2022 couture collection, the Schiaparelli brand presented heeled sandals with gold decorative nails on the toes. The details looked as realistic as possible and at the same time provocative. This model immediately caused a resonance in the fashion media. The sandals became an example of Schiaparelli's characteristic surreal aesthetics and bold work with details. Couture allows for the most radical design solutions.
Moschino – Rococo style shoes
In the autumn-winter 2022/2023 season, Jeremy Scott presented high-heeled shoes for Moschino with gilded decor inspired by the Rococo style. The heels were massive and expressive. The decor looked theatrical and even grotesque. This model emphasized the ironic and provocative nature of the Moschino brand. The shoes became an example of a combination of historical motifs and modern fashion.
Moschino – flamingo shoes
In the spring-summer 2023 season, the Moschino brand introduced high-heeled shoes with decorative flamingos. Birds became the main accent of the model. The shoes were part of a collection with a bright beach theme. These shoes embodied the humor and playfulness that are traditionally associated with Moschino. The model became one of the most noticeable elements of the show and was actively discussed after the show.
McQueen – boots with a hoof heel and a tail
For the fall-winter 2024/2025 season, McQueen introduced boots with heels in the shape of a hoof. The heel had a clear sculptural shape and created an expressive silhouette. The boots were also decorated with a decorative tail.
Jacquemus – 2 in 1 sandals
In the autumn-winter 2024/2025 season, Simon Porte Jacquemus presented heeled sandals with an unusual design. It seemed as if one pair of shoes was placed on top of another. The upper part was sandals on thin straps, and the lower part was slippers on a small heel. This solution looked ironic and thoughtful at the same time. The model became an example of playing with shape and volume.
Undercover – shoes with heels in the form of busts
For the fall-winter 2025/2026 season, Jun Takahashi collaborated with artist Anne-Valerie Dupont for Undercover to create high-heeled shoes with miniature figures on the toes. The decorative elements resembled small sculptural busts or fragments of statues. This pair is the result of intricate handwork and attention to detail.
Simone Rocha – elegant Crocs sandals
For Spring/Summer 2026, Simone Rocha reinterprets Crocs in the form of heeled sandals. The classic clogs retain their iconic shape, but are given a higher heel and embellished with crystals and appliqués on the sole. This model combines utility with a couture approach to decoration.
Dsquared2 — skate-shaped boots
For the fall-winter 2026/2027 season, Dean and Dan Keitena for Dsquared2 introduced heeled boots inspired by hockey skates. The boots became one of the most talked-about items in the collection.
Chanel – mushroom-shaped heels
In the Chanel Couture Spring-Summer 2026 collection, Mathieu Blasi introduced mushroom-shaped heels. These shoes became a distinctive accent of the couture looks. They added a touch of light irony to the collection and emphasized the brand's desire to work in a new direction under the leadership of a new creative director.
Based on material from vogue.com