Shoe trends come and go, but the weird shoe is still going strong amongst celebrities. While these pairs do not possess style qualities of, say, the ugly shoe (we’re looking at you, Mschf boot), these left-of-center styles are turning traditional footwear shapes on their head. We’ve seen toy lacquered pumps and petal-heeled sandals at Loewe, Balenciaga’s furry stiletto moment, and Gucci’s Julia Roberts co-signed fringe party heels. Well, now, Dua Lipa has joined the weird shoe wars with her very own pair of Coperni grails.
The singer took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a series of images, one of which stood out (literally) in particular. Her Coperni shoes, from designers Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant’s pre-fall 2024 collection, were designed like a traditional stiletto but were trimmed with star-shaped details that poked out from either side. Per the brand, the stilettos were inspired by the “science and technology of CERN,” or the The European Organization for Nuclear Research. To us, the shoes were more Patrick Star chic meets nuclear mastermind, but we digress.
The effect was weird, yes, an unexpected take on the beloved sling back pump. But, still, the pair didn’t seem too far removed from the pop sensation’s current style era of sleek, edgier pieces coupled with surprising design details—case in point: the custom Courrèges number, which featured chainmail hip cut-outs, that Dua wore to the Grammys over the weekend.
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Dua hopped on another dressing trend by fashioning her black tights into pants. The star rounded out her look with an olive green cropped bomber and a silver statement ring. She seemed to be posing against some sort of white backdrop too—will we see this Coperni moment in DL3 promo?
While handfuls of fashion girls are currently leaning into the cherry red footwear trend—from Hailey Bieber to Emma Stone and Kylie Jenner—Dua looks quite comfortable slipping into her star-shaped Coperni pair. The French brand are known for their futuristic designs and even more experimental shoes, too. Clearly Dua isn’t the only one fascinated by these star stilettos, as her exact pair are currently sold-out across several retailers. And so it goes—the weird shoe wars continue.
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It’s rare that you’ll find some kind of common ground in the wardrobes of Kylie Jenner, Emma Stone, and Hailey Bieber. Over the past few weeks, however, the trio (as well as a handful of other fashion girls) have remained on the same stylistic page, causing us to question whether their common stylings are merely a coincidence or the signal of a wider trend to come. Well, on Tuesday, Camila Mendes likely proved the latter as she hit the streets of New York City in what’s shaping up to be the latest footwear mania: cherry red sling backs from Reformation.
Mendes, busy promoting her first post-Riverdale lead role in Upgraded, cut a chic figure in a chocolate brown trench coat and a knit turtleneck dress. As sleek as the base of her look turned out to be (very, dare we say, Quiet Luxury) Mendes’ fire hydrant-colored footwear choice was what really turned heads here. The actress matched a pair of bold tights with patent kitten heels (which just so happened to have, you guessed it, tiny little bows on the end).
Unlike other stars—such as Jenner, who paired her cherry shoes with a matching mini dress—Mendes finished off her look rather minimally with black sunglasses and silver hoop earrings.
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You might be wondering, where exactly did this sudden surge of red shoes come from? Like any quality celebrity dressing trend, it began both on the stars themselves and within the recent collections of some of the biggest fashion labels.
The new Gucci designer, Sabato De Sarno, made the color a signature of his debut womenswear spring collection as well as his more recent menswear showing. Though, you could wager that De Sarno’s preferred shade of red is more malbec than cherry. Other designers who have also explored this phenomenon? Alaïa’s Pieter Mulier, JW Anderson, and even, Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada over at Prada.
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Of course, nowadays, the telltale sign of a fad’s staying power is the ways in which celebrities approach them. Yes, it’s nice to see things take off on the runways of Paris and Milan, but seeing them in action usually takes things over the edge.
Hailey Bieber and Emma Stone offered up a more pared-back take, styling The Row’s cult loafers with business casual looks. Kylie Jenner’s version was expectedly more on the louder end—she stepped out in all red for the Jacquemus show and slipped into a Mob Wife look complete with cherry slingbacks just a few days later. Anya Taylor-Joy also appeared to co-sign the color with various ready-to-wear moments. And now, with another adoptee in Mendes, it looks like neutral shoes just might be on their way out.
FASHIONAnya Taylor-Joy Goes For Sheer Eleganceby Matthew VelascoFeb. 6, 2024
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Over Grammys weekend, Anya Taylor-Joy’s was clearly channeling her rock star fashion fantasies, but by Monday she was back to dressing for her day job: actress and Dior muse. Last night, the actress hit up a Dior Beauty event in Los Angeles with the sheer intent of proving that mesh fabric doesn’t always have to be raunchy.
Taylor-Joy opted for a sophisticated, off-the-shoulder bustier top for the occasion. The piece was designed in a gauzy, glittery fabric that offered a peak at some structured corset detailing below. Two bows were positioned on either sleeve as the draped top finished in a slight high-low hemline. The actress styled the look with high-waisted parachute pants, coordinating sandal heels, and a structured metallic clutch.
Rachel Zegler, who also attended the Dior event, offered a more traditional, albeit ‘20s-inspired, take on sheer dressing. Taylor-Joy’s version was in keeping with her usual wardrobe leanings, yes, but it also provided a more wearable take on the trend. Instead of completely exposing her midsection, the addition of the corset underneath offered some coverage—less skin-baring than your usual fashion girl, but definitely Princess-worthy.
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Taylor-Joy finished off her look with her beauty signatures: subtle, loose waves paired with a bold red lip, as well as the addition of blue ombré nails.
The actress’ Dior appearance follows her Rock and Roll Grammys moment on Sunday night. With her husband Malcom McRae by her side—this was the pair’s first official post-wedding outing—Taylor-Joy debuted a mod matching set from French brand Courrèges (in a very particular shade of cherry red, too).
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This specific color has been everywhere of late, from the footwear choices of Emma Stone and Hailey Bieber to Halle Bailey’s lingerie mini dress. Even Taylor-Joy has indulged in this very hue before—most recently for Dior’s Paris couture show where she matched a lace Princess dress with military-style combat boots. It’s clear that even when Taylor-Joy does venture into styles that verge on trendy, she does so in a way that still feels on par with her personal style. Whether it be cherry red separates or elegant sheer fabrics.
FASHIONMaisie Williams Brings British Edge To the Sheer Going Out Topby Matthew VelascoFeb. 2, 2024
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Maisie Williams has always marched to the beat of her own drum, so, it’s only fitting that she’s brought her signature counterculture edge to fashion’s obsession with sheer cut-outs. Last night, the actress stepped out to a BAFTAs pre-party in London wearing a barely-there mesh top.
Williams’ top, from fashion girl favorite Nensi Dojaka, was truly less about proper function and more about flashing the maximum amount of skin possible. The front portion of the piece featured a criss-cross neckline that led to a series of exposed cut-outs near the actress’ chest. Very, very stringy straps attached to long sleeves on either side, while a completely see-through panel made up the bulk of the top.
