Valentino
As if flats couldn’t be any bigger this week, Valentino, the house responsible for fashion’s collective obsession with studded and diamante encrusted stilettos, didn’t show a single pair of high heels on its runway. Instead, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli accessorized their richly, vaguely medieval embroidered dresses and skirts with flat, sturdy sandals adorned with gilded birds. It was a game-charger of sorts, considering the huge influence Valentino has had on footwear recently — nearly every mid-priced brand and fast-fashion retailer has a version of the rock stud in its lineup — and one that will most likely push the trend to its tipping point. Finally, women who prefer not to toddle around on 3-, 4- or 5-inch heels have a real selection of flat footwear to choose from that look as special as their taller cousins, whether they prefers their shoes loud and sporty (Kenzo, Celine), quiet and chic (Stella McCartney, Givenchy) or any of the many variations that fall in between.
