IIn days to come, fashion will swap sneakers for sandals, but this year, exposed toes will not only mean the need for a pedicure but also an appetite for heights. Why? Because platform sandals are about to become the shoe of the summer.
They have appeared on the catwalks of brands like Versace, Rejina Pyo, Valentino and Jacquemus. Kendall Jenner, Dua Lipa and Bella Hadid have endorsed the trend. And it’s starting to show in buying habits. In April, Klarna revealed that searches for platform sandals increased by 69% in the last six months.
“Platforms are doing really incredibly well, from Saint Laurent’s Bianca and Jodie, to Valentino Garavani’s Tan-go and D’Accori,” said Cassie Smart, head of womenswear at Matchesfashion. This is also the case beyond luxury brands: Asos reports that platforms are “becoming a staple in our customers’ wardrobes”. the note sandala glamorous platform style that comes in various summery prints is particularly popular.
For Laura Antonia Jordan, Director of Fashion and Lifestyle Articles at Grace, the return of platforms like these means “the end of the Zoom era fad. I think they are now what those oversized earrings were during closings. They signal that dressing – properly, head to toe – is back.
Jordan is a lifelong fan of the platform: “These are my favorite heels because I’m 5-foot-1, I can actually walk in them, and I think the chunky, chunky proportions give them a bit of badass swagger that spindly heels simply do not have. ”
Platforms – the flat sandal with an elongated thick sole – are also popular. Matches reports that the Prada ‘cage’ sandal – a jelly fisherman-style design with a platform – is sold out, at £590. For 2022, a platform with an ankle strap at Marks & Spencer is a bestseller.
For those who balk at super-tall platforms or don’t appreciate the flat shape, clog mules – like those made by Scholl in the 1970s – could also be a contender. Maddy Evans, womenswear buying manager at Marks & Spencer, says designs like this are a hit: “They’ll easily take your summer dress from day to night, whether it’s a British holiday or a getaway. to the beach.”