Now that AW26 has wrapped up, we’re finally sinking our teeth into the minute details of the runways. After dissecting our favourite bags, we now turn our attention to the shoes. With sneakers almost disappearing, this season’s footwear has taken a theatrical turn. Carved heels, ‘60s era silhouettes, and plenty of feathers that flutter as you walk were just some of the key shoe trends that we noticed. But going beyond that, here are the pieces you would find us strutting down with!
Dior’s Lily Pads
Without a doubt, Jonathan Anderson’s lily pad collection became an overnight viral sensation the moment the collection dropped. From the fluttery skirts to the little frog clutch, everything about this collection was equal parts cutesy and avant-garde. And that goes for the Lily heel, a sandal with lily pads right at the toe. Featuring textured green embroidery and a blooming floral applique, the shoe is as if one is walking on lily pads, and we can totally see this motif peeking through abayas as the soft green adds a colour accent.
Connor Ives x Jimmy Choo’s Boots
Autumn-Winter means the rise of boots, and this season gave us a lot to work with. One of our favourites was a floral embroidered piece in silk dupion, seen at Connor Ives AW26 runway. Partnering with Jimmy Choo, the footwear for the show was dressed in demi-couture flair. With the design, the boots were obviously made for showing off, and if we had a pair, they would be styled over a midi skirt, where movement allowed details to peek through.
Bottega Veneta’s Punk Flats
On the opposite end, we saw two dichotomies at play at Bottega Veneta. One was feathers that fluttered, the other was hard spikes that gave off a punk edge. And after how feathers have dominated the past year, we can’t help but be drawn to the latter. Coming in a mule ballet flat and styled with stockings, we can see the piece being a versatile one, styled over jeans, maxi skirts, and abayas.
Givenchy’s Sky High Boots
With skinny jeans swinging back into trend, boots over jeans might also become a fan favourite of the fashion-forward. And if that’s the case, then why not pair skinny jeans with Givenchy’s ultra-long thigh-high boots? The brand has made a name for its boots now, so a thigh-high version was a no-brainer. But seeing it on the runway contextualises the drama of it all and we absolutely love it!
MM6 Maison Margiela’s Scrunch Boots
Another boot we had our eyes on was at MM6 Maison Margiela. An off-white, knee-high boot that scrunched at the top, it was styled with a mini dress and leggings, a quintessential 2010s piece of fashion. For this region however, we can see the pair work with jeans, balloon pants, and A-line knee-length skirts.
Onitsuka Tiger’s Kitten Sneaker
Another shoe to make the rounds of social media ever since it debuted, this time from Onitsuka Tiger’s AW26 collection. Turning their beloved MEXICO 66™ series into a kitten heel, the design is a natural evolution for the brand, which has been consistently elevating its work. As for the heel, it’s so obviously stylish that we can totally see streetwear enthusiasts incorporating it, making the dressing style a tad more feminine.
Prada’s Laced Loafers
What’s Prada without a loafer? For years, the brand was known for its chunky, hefty loafers, and this season is no different. Exchanging the heaviness for some quirky colour, this season, the loafers looked visibly worn and designed with red laces that popped against the black leather. Fitting in the collection’s theme of layering, it seems that the theme of layering metaphorically dressed the shoe.
And Finally, All the Laced Heels
A shoe trend that’s sure to appear this Autumn-Winter season is laced heels. Onitsuka Tiger already began the trend with its sneaker kitten heel, but while that felt like a natural remix, heritage houses are doing the same from scratch. Prada featured plenty of heels with laces at the toe, as well as boots that laced all the way up à la 2012 Converse. Marni had similar footwear, where heels, boots, and ballet flats all came laced up in bright, vivid colours. Is this the runways telling us to strap in? Time will tell.
