The Most Popular Designer Shoes

In the early days, shoes were not even made designated for left or right feet, today shoes are manufactured by width, arch, type of activity, ventilation, even with lighting. The first thought when someone says “designer shoes” might be stylish (and painful) women’s shoes, but the designers of today want both women and men to have their brand on, and for every occasion

There may be varied opinions on whether designer brand shoes are quite worth what they cost, some coming with price tags in the hundreds or even thousands. Shoe collectors are passionate about them the way anyone might be about anything; at least shoes serve a purpose.

Brands like Saint Laurent and Dior make the list for popular picks in 2017. People are branching out and making once unusual concepts become shoe reality. High heels with trinkets and metal sculptures; shoes are functional art (and depending on who you talk to, the pain rumors are all too real). Designer shoes aren’t limited to the spiked and wedge heel scene. Michael Jordan still charges in the hundreds for a shiny new pair of the latest basketball sneakers. A percentage of his patrons don’t even actually play basketball, that’s consumer power.

Online all different styles and custom orders for sneakers can be done, signed pairs of shoes and rare finds can be auctioned to the highest bidder. Brands like Gucci, Prada, Miu Miu, even Hello Kitty continue make themselves relevant on this year’s scene with lots of strap, buckles, and elaborate ankle fasteners. Versace and Prada came out with some flat platform shoes that seem reminiscent of the 1970s with a contemporary twist. Dries Van Noten combines straps, platforms, and a kitten heel styled like a bedpost (hopefully the bedpost implies comfort).

Styles of painful heels aren’t going anywhere but it’s perhaps encouraging to see designers giving consideration to women who can’t always don heels that are more like stilts. Dior and DKNY keep the faux sport-shoe trend alive with sneaker-styled heels; you might not be able to play any sports in them but team spirit is most encouraging when done in style. Marc Jacobs pulled out all the stops and took the cake this year with his spring contribution of psychedelic platform ankle moon-boots that fans are deeming a must-have.

Whatever one’s taste in shoes, both long-established shoe designers, as well as some new talent, are challenging us to join them in bold artistic trends. Whether your Team Gucci or seek out trendy styles by indie designers, it’s great to see uniqueness being the common thread of what’s popular in designer shoes today.