Rihanna Kicks off Naked Shoe Summer With Lucite Heels and White Toe Nail Polish | Marie Claire

Rihanna makes a stylish outing on the Croisette in Cannes to visit the Messika boutique. — (Image credit: Getty Images)

We're quickly approaching a decade of naked shoes and the divisive footwear trend hasn't budged an inch. After making their controversial debut on the toes of one Kylie Jenner in 2016, lucite heels have only become more widely accepted. Almost 10 years later, they're now the premiere shoe trend for Hollywood's most stylish. And Rihanna tops the list of elite fans.

The makeup mogul has put in plenty of foot work to normalize PVC footwear. Rihanna was an early adapter back in 2017 and hasn't let up in the years since. In fact, just this week lucite heels were the breakout star of her Cannes Film Festival wardrobe (in addition to belly-baring cut-out dresses).

On May 19, the star made her long-awaited red carpet arrival, dressed in a vivid turquoise dress from Alaïa. And though she didn't wear naked heels there—dutifully abiding by the red carpet's nudity ban—Rihanna reprised her favorite shoe style the second she stepped off the crimson landing.

A$AP Rocky, Rihanna at the "Highest 2 Lowest" Premiere during The 78th Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 19, 2025 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images) — Rihanna and A$AP Rocky walk the Cannes red carpet ahead of the Highest 2 Lowest screening.

Rihanna wasted no time, promptly busting out the most revealing heels in her closet. The "Wild Thoughts" singer chose a pair of $795 Gianvito Rossi mules, which feature a lone lucite strap and black sole. She wore them with a Brandon Maxwell cut-out dress and Le Teckel Clutch on May 20.

The following day, on May 21, Rihanna's choice naked shoe made its second appearance of the week. Again, she paired them with a little black dress—only this time, it was a long-sleeve ribbed Khaite style fitted with a delicate fringe skirt. She hit repeat on her A$AP Rocky x Ray-Ban sunglasses, as well, and finished with diamond-encrusted safety pin earrings.

Rihanna makes a stylish outing on the Croisette in Cannes to visit the Messika boutique. — Later in the week, Rihanna wore a fringe dress and naked heels while shopping on La Croisette.

Gianvito Rossi

Elle 85

The look's final detail was another Rihanna classic: white toe nail polish. Like lucite heels, the star has made white-bright pedicures her signature and rarely deviates from the lacquer choice. She's sported it for red carpets and Fenty Beauty launches and, now, the Cannes Film Festival. Rihanna tested, Rihanna approved.

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Kelsey (she/her) is a freelance fashion editor and writer. At Marie Claire, she provides witty celeb style commentary, unpacking the style choices of stars like Zoë Kravitz, Dua Lipa, Selena Gomez, and her fashion superhero, Rihanna. When she’s not tracking the personal style of Hollywood’s elite, Kelsey also covers designer collabs and industry news.

Before taking her talents to Marie Claire, Kelsey was the Senior Fashion Editor at Bustle, where she oversaw the site’s fashion coverage. Prior to Bustle, she came from a six-year stint at Seventeen. In her freelance era, Kelsey contributes to publications like InStyle, Cosmopolitan,and more. Follow @klstieg on Instagram for 'fit pics and travel recommendations.