Look of the week: Saint Laurent’s see-through shoes reveal fashion’s growing foot fetish

Look of the Week: Saint Laurent’s Transparent Footwear Sparks a Trend in Fashion’s Obsession with Feet

Look of the week – Paris has long been a hub for avant-garde fashion, but this summer’s Saint Laurent men’s collection took the city’s runway scene in a provocative new direction. Creative director Anthony Vaccarello unveiled a lineup that leaned heavily into the sensual and the subversive, with a standout piece that dared to expose the feet. The collection, presented during the sweltering heat of a June day that set a new record for Paris’s temperature before being surpassed by the following Wednesday, featured a striking pair of see-through oxfords that left observers both intrigued and unsettled. These minimalist yet daring shoes, crafted from clear vinyl, turned the focus to the toes—literally—hinting at a growing fascination with the feet in contemporary fashion.

A Fusion of Elegance and Provocation

The show began with a sleek slate blue suit, its fluid trousers and boxy, 80s-inspired jacket evoking the sharp, edgy aesthetics of Bret Easton Ellis’s characters. But the final moments of the presentation disrupted this polished facade. As models strutted down the catwalk, the reveal of the transparent footwear created a jarring contrast. The shoes, which seemed to shimmer under the lights, were not just a design choice—they were a statement. The French capital’s heatwave added to the drama, with models’ toes sweating visibly inside the thick, unbreathable material, creating a visual metaphor for the discomfort and allure of the trend.

Vaccarello’s design philosophy often blends quiet restraint with unexpected edginess, and these shoes epitomized that duality. Their transparency, combined with the sharp angles of the oxfords, seemed to amplify the audience’s awareness of the feet. The color palette of the collection, which included accents in accordion folder brown and taupe—colors that evoke the monotony of office life—added a layer of irony. These hues, paired with tailored cuts, created a juxtaposition between the professional and the erotic, suggesting a shift in how fashion perceives the body’s most underexposed regions.

The Foot Fetish Takes Center Stage

Footwear has become a focal point in the industry, with designers increasingly prioritizing the lower half of the body. This trend isn’t new; it has roots in the late 20th century. The Margiela Tabi boot, which reimagined the Japanese split-toe style with a paint-encrusted aesthetic, is often credited as a pioneer of this movement. However, the current wave of transparent shoes feels more intentional, reflecting a broader cultural shift toward highlighting the body’s vulnerabilities.

Chanel’s recent resort collection in Biarritz exemplified this trend. Creative director Matthieu Blazy introduced a series of sandals that laced around the heel, leaving toes bare. This design sparked debates about whether it was a playful nod to luxury or a bold declaration of a new era in footwear. The same spirit of audacity appears in the work of Jonathan Anderson, who, at Loewe and now Dior, has consistently challenged norms with pieces like balloon-pump shoes and water lily-shaped sandals. These creations, though whimsical, have become cultural touchstones, proving that fashion’s fascination with the feet can be both artistic and commercial.

The Row, known for its minimalist and understated approach, has also embraced this trend. While its signature pieces—such as $3,000 trousers and handcrafted coats—remain timeless, its peculiar shoes, like mesh flats and jelly shoes, have sold out rapidly. This suggests that even the most restrained fashion houses are not immune to the allure of foot-centric designs. Tory Burch, on the other hand, has leaned into the playful, offering collections filled with bold, spunky shoes. Her latest pair, a high-vamp pump in neon orange, blends traditional glamour with a modern twist, appealing to a younger, more daring audience.

A Cultural Conversation

As social media has amplified the visibility of fashion, so too has it magnified the scrutiny of every detail. The Saint Laurent oxfords, for instance, became a topic of discussion not just for their design but for the way they encapsulated the tension between elegance and rebellion. Fashion and culture journalist Amy Odell noted that handbags, once the ultimate status symbol, have lost some of their luster, with consumers even questioning the exclusivity of the Birkin. This shift may signal a new hierarchy in fashion, where the feet—long overlooked—now hold center stage.

Footwear’s accessibility might explain its rising prominence. Unlike handbags or coats, shoes are a more affordable and less intimidating item, allowing for experimentation without the same level of social pressure. This makes them ideal for sparking conversations, especially when paired with high-profile designs. The Saint Laurent shoes, for example, have been compared to the

“shock trotter”

of contemporary fashion, challenging traditional notions of what constitutes a desirable shoe.

Designers are also using the feet to reframe the role of the runway. While celebrity front rows once dominated media coverage, the focus has increasingly turned to the garments themselves. Hailey Bieber or Kim Kardashian’s presence might have once been a spectacle, but their participation in recent shows has normalized the idea of fashion as a platform for personal expression. This normalization has allowed for more daring choices, like Vaccarello’s transparent oxfords, to gain traction without the same level of controversy.

Yet, the trend isn’t entirely new. The Margiela Tabi boot, introduced decades ago, laid the groundwork for this kind of experimentation. Its split-toe design and industrial aesthetic captured the imagination of a generation, proving that the feet could be as stylish as any other body part. Now, Saint Laurent’s transparent shoes feel like the next evolution, combining the past’s subversive spirit with modern technology and materials.

Footwear as a Statement

As the Spring 2027 season approaches, the industry is poised to embrace even more foot-focused designs. The Saint Laurent oxfords, with their unapologetic transparency, have set a precedent for how designers can use footwear to make a statement. Whether it’s through the heat of a Parisian summer or the deliberate choice of a clear material, these shoes have become symbols of a larger movement—one that celebrates the feet as a canvas for innovation.

The trend also reflects a broader cultural shift. In an age where social media amplifies every detail, the feet have become a site of both intimacy and spectacle. From the viral attention given to Balenciaga’s low-cut sneakers to the recent buzz around the Margiela Tabi, the lower half of the body is no longer an afterthought. This attention is not just aesthetic; it’s a conversation about identity, sensuality, and the evolving role of fashion in everyday life.

Charli XCX, for example, has played a role in this phenomenon. Her presence at a Saint Laurent show, where she lit Madonna’s cigarette as the audience awaited Vaccarello’s presentation, added a layer of celebrity influence to the trend. While her actions may have initially drawn headlines, the see-through shoes—and the foot fetish they represent—have since captured more sustained attention. As spring 2027 draws closer, these designs are likely to remain at the forefront of fashion’s evolving narrative.

In this way, the Saint Laurent oxfords are more than just a collection of shoes—they are a reflection of how fashion is increasingly embracing the body’s most intimate details. From the Margiela Tabi to the transparent oxfords, the feet have become a powerful symbol of the industry’s willingness to explore new boundaries. Whether through the sleek minimalism of a pair of oxfords or the vibrant energy of a neon-pump, designers are proving that the feet can be as central to fashion as any other part of the body.