From barefoot to spiders, the coolest shoes that make you forget the outfit

There is a particular kind of celebrity fashion moment where the outfit is great, and the styling is impeccable, but the shoes are what you remember. Sometimes they are outrageous, sometimes surprisingly wearable, and sometimes so wonderfully strange that they demand more than a second look. Over the years, celebrities have used footwear to take a look somewhere entirely unexpected, from literal tennis balls and spiders to sky-high platforms and sculptural spikes. Because when you have a red carpet, press tour or front row to walk, why not make every step count? Here are the celebrity shoes that have walked the carpet, and into our fashion memory.

Margaret Qualley’s Barefoot Shoes
 

Margaret Qualley became the first celebrity to publicly step out in Chanel’s viral “barefoot cap heel” shoes at the London premiere of The Dog Stars. First unveiled as part of Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel Cruise collection, the unusual flats feature just a logo-stamped block heel and two delicate ankle straps, leaving the arch, ball and toes completely exposed. Styled with a fringed black Chanel midi dress, Coromandel earrings and a statement N°5 drop ring, the barely-there shoes gave her look an unexpected, almost illusion-like finish.

Zendaya’s Spider Mesh

Zendaya has never been one to shy away from a fashion moment, and these custom Christian Louboutin heels take the idea of statement shoes quite literally. Worn for the Spider-Man: Brand New Day premiere, the black pumps were custom-made for the actress and based on the house’s Miss Z silhouette, complete with an elongated pointed toe and sculpted four-inch stiletto heel. The real draw, however, is the intricate spider detailing crawling across the shoes, making them feel equal parts glamorous and slightly sinister.

Dua Lipa’s Cap-Toe Pumps

Dua Lipa brought her own brand of maximalist polish to Chanel’s Spring 2026 Haute Couture show in Paris, pairing a vibrant patterned look with classic black-and-white cap-toe pumps. The shoes offered a graphic punctuation to an already striking outfit, proving that sometimes the most timeless shoe silhouette can be the perfect counterpoint to a loud look.

Kim Kardashian’s Heelless Platforms

Kim Kardashian’s 2024 Met Gala look came with a surprisingly accessible footwear secret. Beneath her Maison Margiela dress were clear platform Pleaser shoes with an unusual twist: no heel at all. The transparent platforms, often associated with stripper shoes, gave the illusion of walking on air while keeping the focus firmly on the intricate dress. At around $65, they were perhaps the most unexpected budget detail on the Met Gala red carpet.

Zendaya’s Tennis-Ball Heels

For the Challengers press tour in Rome, Zendaya took method dressing to its most literal, and most fashionable, conclusion. Created by Loewe, her pristine white pumps featured sharp pointed toes and miniature green tennis balls built into the stiletto heels. A playful nod to her character and the film’s tennis-centric storyline, they were proof that a theme shoe can still look incredibly chic.

Marion Cotillard’s Spike Sandals

At the 2012 New York premiere of The Dark Knight Rises, Marion Cotillard paired an ethereal ivory Christian Dior Couture dress with Christian Louboutin’s “Lady Max Spike” sandals. The contrast was everything: delicate, ballerina-like layers above, dramatically sharp metallic spikes below. Rather than simply complementing the dress, the sandals completely changed the mood of the look, adding an unexpected edge to an otherwise romantic silhouette.

Lady Gaga’s Crystal Platforms

Lady Gaga’s relationship with a statement shoe is, unsurprisingly, legendary. At the 2010 Grammy Awards, she stepped out in custom Giorgio Armani Privé metallic silver platform ankle boots covered in crystal embellishment. Equally futuristic, theatrical and unmistakably Gaga, the towering boots were practically a performance in themselves, and exactly the kind of footwear that only gets better with a little red-carpet drama.

The right shoes can do far more than just finish a look. From playful references and unexpected silhouettes to unapologetic sparkle and sky-high platforms, these pairs refused to play a supporting role. Because sometimes, the most memorable part of a great outfit is what’s happening below the ankle.

 

Image credit: Getty Images

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