17 pairs of the best designer shoes ever

We know that a pair of drool-worthy designer shoes is An Investment that is not to be taken lightly. With reduced incomes, panic on the high street and the Coronacoaster showing few signs of stopping, keeping our spending on a tight rein has never been higher up our To Do list. And yet… there is still something about the allure of a pair of new shoes that is ever enticing. The crisp tissue inside that immaculate box, the layers to be unwrapped, the velvety soles… Sorry, are we the only ones drooling here?

We admit, padding around our WFH / locked-down lodgings last year meant anything other than slippers, wellies and trainers knocked shoes off the number one fashion accessory slot. But that absence from our outfits has definitely made us yearn for the structure of smart pair of heels or a classic loafer. Especially when you consider that some podiatrists have noted that going barefoot for long periods of time, without the support of shoes, could give you joint issues. Wait, what? What more incentive do you need to get shopping?

From a styling point of view, designer accessories are always the fash pack’s shortcut to elevating even the most basic of outfits. So many of our fave influencers and style icons rely on the formula of high street dress and high end shoes. The cost per wear of a pair of shoes is always going to work out better than that of a, say, evening dress, while the mix of practicality in shoes (they protect your feet!) and aesthetics means shoes could be one of your buys with the best chance at longevity.

Frivolous fast fashion fixes are the opposite of a clever, considered buy. So bad for your wardrobe and the planet. If you are in the lucky position to make a designer buy, choose wisely. Over recent seasons Dior’s signature J’ADIOR slingback have become an influencer fave (although the new patterns and prints mean they never look dated.) If you’re easing back into heels after months in slippers, try the mid-heel Maisie mule from Malone Souliers or the helpful support from the study block heel of Prada’s leopard print court.

If you’ve never been out of your skyscraper stilettos, despite locky-D, we stan. Valentino Garavani’s studded Rockstud heels - in shiny metallic gold, Amina Muaddi’s martini-glass shaped heel mules or the jewelled Manolo Blahnik Hangisi (a favourite with Carrie Bradshaw - she got married to Mr Big in a blue pair) will easily find a place in your wardrobe.

If you’re a stiletto fan, there are a tribe of edgier shoes ready to become your most worn. Fenty’s caged shoes are just as exciting as Rihanna’s clothing collection and her make-up range, Balenciaga’s super sharp point toe pumps can look chic or sexy, depending on your mood and the rest of your outfit, while Saint Laurent’s ankle chain detail manages to walk the line (geddit?) between totally on-trend and utterly timeless.