Jewelled sandals are this season's unexpected shoe trend

By the time fashion month wrapped, I’d lost count of the number of times a shoe caught my eye before the outfit did. A flash of colour here, a cascade of rhinestones there, a metallic flower perched rather prettily on a glossy pump. Across the spring/summer 2027 collections, designers gave their footwear the full bijoux treatment, with dazzling embellishments and a generous sprinkling of whimsy. Sure enough, maximalism is back on the fashion agenda, and our feet are getting in on the fun.

But this isn’t simply a case of piling on the sparkle. At one end, there are jewel-encrusted boots that wouldn’t look out of place in a royal treasure trove; at the other, a handful of artfully placed blooms or a cascade of rhinestones is enough to transform otherwise understated pumps. Even your trusty UGGs couldn’t escape the embellishment bug. And if your shoe wardrobe has been crying out for a little extra je ne sais quoi, well, consider this your sign. 

Below, set your sights on the jewelled shoes that caught our eye across the SS27 runways.

Sabyasachi 

At Sabyasachi’s Bengal Byzantine Broadway show in New York, the shoes had a little old-world glamour with a distinctly everyday twist. Pointed-toe ankle boots and mules came dipped in colourful stones and beads, each tipped with metal at the toe, adding a touch of old-world intrigue to everyday dressing. The styling made the fun of it all: ornate footwear paired with denim, plaid, and relaxed tailoring. Drawing on the collection’s meeting of Western workwear and Byzantine-inspired ornament, the shoes had a well-travelled feel, as though they’d picked up a few treasures along the way. 

Saint Laurent 

Anthony Vaccarello’s Saint Laurent woman has never been one to shy away from a little seduction, and this season, even her heels had a certain come-hither quality. Beneath the glittering lights of the Eiffel Tower at Paris Fashion Week, the designer sent out a collection drenched in gold, from liquid-metal dresses to shimmering separates. Better still, the shoes were every bit as opulent, with heels sculpted into gilded serpents, delicate chains draped around the foot, and oversized gemstones sitting front and centre. Part precious jewellery, part objets d’art, they were hardly the sort of shoes you’d let disappear beneath a wide-leg trouser.

Dolce & Gabbana 

When it comes to Dolce & Gabbana, we all know that the jewels are never just for the jewellery box. In Milan, the house sent jewelled boots down the runway, pairs so gloriously over-the-top that the rest of the outfit could definitely take the day off. Some came in gilded metallic brocade, already opulent before the embellishment began, then set with cabochons, antique medallions, and studs. Better still were the jewel-toned jacquards in teal, violet, and gold, covered in faceted stones in fuchsia, ruby, and emerald, each one framed in antique gold, with a chain-link detail at the toe. Unsurprisingly, the stiletto stayed razor-sharp, which made the boots look even more polished. 

Prada

While maximalism has been having its moment on the shoe front, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons found beauty in a more considered kind of extravagance at Milan Fashion Week. Rather than drowning the shoes in embellishment, the creative duo let these jewelled accents take centre stage, offsetting their lustre with irregular, honeycomb-like cutouts that revealed slivers of skin along the sides.

The sculptural metallic blooms, almost like little Brutalist brooches, were pinned onto glossy pumps, their sapphire-blue centres and sharply layered petals lending each flower a striking, three-dimensional finish. It was an interplay of shine and strangeness, where the romance of floral jewels met Prada’s penchant for the unexpected, proving that a little stone, placed just so, can be every bit as captivating as head-to-toe maximalism.

Rick Owens 

Rick Owens and rhinestones might not be the first pairing that springs to mind, but fashion has a way of keeping us on our toes. This season, the designer traded some of his usual footwear heft for chunky sandals draped in layers of rhinestone chains. Peeking out from beneath the collection’s fluid, layered silhouettes, the shoes offered an unexpected dose of sparkle. The designer definitely showed us that even the most pared-back wardrobe can benefit from a little embellishment.

Bluemarine 

Who said Uggs were only for running errands? With gemstones finding their way onto just about everything, it was only a matter of time before UGGs got the gemstone treatment, too. At Blumarine, David Koma gave UGG’s Enwrap Clog a rather unexpected makeover, wrapping the cosy classic in cage-like metallic embellishments and colourful gemstones. Another version came trimmed with delicate feathers in white and lilac. Suddenly, the humble comfort shoe had acquired quite the jewellery collection. 

Ultimately, jewelled footwear is proof that the smallest details can make the biggest impression. Whether it’s a pair of rhinestone-laden sandals, a sculptural floral pump or a boot encrusted with colourful gemstones, SS27 invites us to rethink the role our shoes play in an outfit. Consider them less of a finishing touch and more of a statement in their own right. After all, when your footwear is this dazzling, why let the rest of the look have all the fun?

Lead image: SS27 runways show

Also read: Forget 'rhinestone-maxxing', Indians have been 'gem-maxxing' forever

Also read: Sharp lines, high gloss: The season’s most striking trend to shop