Paris Fashion Week Footwear Recap: The Boldest Spring 2026 Shoes, From Dior to Loewe

Paris Fashion Week has quickly come and gone, and this iteration featured several debuts from newly appointed creative directors at major fashion houses, and more showcases beyond those milestones. For many labels, the shoes proved to be standout pieces as they presented inventive designs through myriad different elements like silhouette and proportion, material and color.

Below, FN has rounded up the boldest shoe looks from Paris Fashion Week, ranging from Thom Browne‘s optical illusion hybrid looks to Dior‘s mule with an oversized rosette embellishment and more.

Thom Browne

This trompe l’œil hybrid look presented by American label Thom Browne, where the eponymous Thom Browne is in charge creatively, gives the illusion of a sock worn with a dainty sandal, when really it’s one zip-up boot with thin straps embellishing it. The illusion was applied to another zip-up boot as well which looked like a sock and a pump.

Chanel

The famous cap-toe aesthetic of Chanel was reimagined as Matthieu Blazy took the creative reins at the French house. This pair of heels features a smaller cap toe and a high vamp, significantly reinventing the proportions of the classic colorblocked look.

Sacai

Sacai, with Chitose Abe at the helm as creative director, showcased exaggerated tassels among its footwear looks. The brand known for avant-garde creations presented a sleek black pointed-toe shoe with a long bunch of tassels lending dynamic movement to the pair.

Balenciaga

Over at Balenciaga, thong sandals were prominently displayed on the runway — including a dramatic platform version with an upturned toe and puffy straps. For new creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli, the flip-flop trend is sticking around next year.

Loewe

In the Loewe show, new creative directors Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez displayed many versions of a rigid kitten-heel pump with a high vamp that made the style verge into bootie territory. While seen in a see-through version with nothing underneath, it was also showcased with socks that aligned with the deep dip of the upper, creating a fascinating layered look.

Valentino

At Valentino, where Alessandro Michele has been creative director since last year, the brand got in on the clear shoes trend with an inventive minimalist take on the transparent aesthetic. A quasi open-toe heel featured a see-through strap across the foot which connected the sides of the upper, making for an unusual visual display.

Dior

Jonathan Anderson started a new era at Dior with industry veteran Nina Christen on his team as design director of shoes; Christen has her own line and previously worked with Anderson at Loewe. One of the standout footwear styles presented by Dior was a mule with a dramatically oversized rosette embellishing the upper, coming in different colors including a pastel plaid.