the voluptuous trainers and boots (in all their versions) dominated the fashion space months before the pandemic hit, then fashion lovers definitely opted for comfortable sneakers and sports shoes to avoid having such a bad time in the running of the bulls. But the most attentive style watchers will also have noticed the quiet resurgence of a possibly forgotten shoe: the ballet slipper.
Do you remember the days of Kate Moss in Primrose Hill, when she walked around west London in a skinny denim uniform, Saint Laurent blazer and discreet ballet shoes? A pair of black pumps from Repetto were the supermodel’s favorite in the ’90s, and this bag-friendly shoe (light enough to pack away at the end of the night) is back.
Of course, the ballet shoe it has never completely disappeared. The ballerinas in two-tone versions by Chanel have been a staple for fashion editors, actors and countless models for decades. Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel first created her unmistakable beige and black pairs in 1957, adding the characteristic contrasting toe to give the illusion of longer, slimmer legs. The designer is said to have hated her own feet, which inspired her to create a elegant shoe but practical. Actresses Gina Lollobrigida and Romy Schneider were fans of the two-tone style, and every season new versions of the classic shoe appear on the Chanel catwalk.
As proof of the shoe’s timeless appeal, Angelina Jolie, a shoe enthusiast, Ballet slipperswore a pair of flats by Chanel on the March 2021 cover of Vogue UK, with a black polo shirt by Burberry and skinny pants by Max Mara, styled by Edward Enninful.
Vogue explores the potential of the shoe on the pavement and the versions to be able to bring the model to perfection.
Article originally published by Vogue UK, vogue.co.uk. Adapted by Monica Silveti