During a spring/summer 2021 season that saw Matthew Williams shake up the storied house codes of Givenchy and Miuccia Prada’s first uniform-centric collection with her new co-designer Raf Simons, there was always going to be some highly covetable accessories.
On the footwear front, Williams paid homage to Lee McQueen’s famous horn shoes with his own punky pumps, while the Prada duo put a futuristic spin on the prim and proper kitten heel.
Over at Chanel, preppy loafers underlined next season’s A-grade looks, while in Loewe’s “show in a box”, Jonathan Anderson’s heels came with neat leather capes for a hyper-luxe Wonder Woman feel.
Valentino’s Rockstud
Valentino’s signature pretty-tough pump, which became ubiquitous on the fashion week circuit when it launched in 2010, made a grand return on the spring/summer 2021 runway.
To mark the 10th anniversary of the brand’s once sell-out flats, creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli is also calling upon some famous friends of the Italian house to put fresh spins on the metallic pyramid accents.
Craig Green will kick off the “Valentino Garavani Rockstud X” collection, but in the meantime, there’s the souped-up gladiator-style runway Rockstuds to lust after.
Bring on the street-style paparazzo.
Chanel’s loafer
Woven slingback sandals and T-bar heels brought a retro vibe to Virginie Viard’s cinematic Chanel spring/summer 2021 collection.
But die-hard Chanel pump wearers will upgrade their signature flats for only one shoe next season: the low-key loafer.
Lending a preppy spin to cream bouclé dresses and smart black work shorts, the school-girlish flats are a sensible investment you can feel good about saving for.
Loewe’s Cape Pump
Underpinning each of Jonathan Anderson’s explosive Loewe spring/summer 2021 looks was the Cape Pump: an elegant, ladylike shoe with angular cape detail on the heel.
“It’s about loving fashion,” Anderson told British Vogue of his fabulous, anti-loungewear looks. “I’m sure track pants are trending and selling right now, but I think everyone in this industry came into it for one reason: clothing.”
So long, slippers! You’ll feel like superwoman wearing Loewe’s new-season pumps to the office – or at home.
© Courtesy of Loewe
Givenchy’s punky pumps
Matthew Williams’s debut Givenchy collection saw the Alyx designer pay homage to the creatives who were formative in his career.
The head-turning leather pumps with horns for heels were inspired by Lee McQueen’s signature shoes.
“I’ve always been obsessed and now I get to do mine,” Williams said of the footwear offering, which also comprised McQueen-influenced three-toed sandals.
Although these will no doubt go down in fashion history, it’s the point-toe pumps punctuated with silver staples that will be the edgy-meets-elegant footwear Williams’s cult following snap up come spring/summer 2021.