The Biggest Spring 2026 Shoe Trends Are Equal Parts Wearable and Aspirational
It's a balance that fashion's top designers master.
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Last fashion month was defined by its debuts, from Louise Trotter’s love letter to craftsmanship at Bottega Veneta to Matthieu Blazy’s unbridled joy at Chanel. Designers helped mark the onset of a new chapter by putting their best foot forward, presenting a slate of Spring 2026 shoe trends that felt classic yet inventive, wearable but aspirational—tricky tightropes that the industry's creative class were able to walk without breaking a sweat.
In their Spring 2026 collections, brands built on shoe trends that have worked well in past seasons, but not without some choice tweaks. Mesh flats graduated to high heels. Last year’s naked shoes were, somehow, made even more see-through. Unsurprisingly, given its astounding commercial success, the ubiquitous slender sneaker trend also prevailed—this time, though, it broke from the minimalist norm, with Prada, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, and Dries Van Noten incorporating vibrant prints and flashy textures that challenged a less-is-best mentality.
Here, we’ve spotlighted six of these same-but-different shoe trends that are about to flood your Instagram feed, neighborhood sidewalks, and online shopping carts. Speaking of: Each one comes with editor-curated options you can buy now and test-drive in a few short weeks.
Little Bow Pump
Coquette this, girlhood aesthetic that—bows as a design detail are timeless, immune to any damage a passing TikTok trend could cause. Designers know this, and their sweet, bow-adorned pumps reflected that. Prada's white kitten heels are a natural addition to a professional work wardrobe, and, while a bit more out-there, Dior's ballet slipper pink peep-toe heels would look darling with denim or a spring floral.
Naked Heels
The concept of naked dressing calls to mind risqué celebrity fashion, both on red carpets (see: Chappell Roan at the 2026 Grammys) and city streets (think: Kim Kardashian, well, all the time). But designers are offering a more accessible way to join the bare-it-all trend without the risk of indecent exposure: see-through shoes, rendered in PVC, mesh, and whatever other fabric that will put your pedicure on display.
Like a Glove
High-vamp glove flats have been trending for some time now—hence, why you've seen brands ranging from The Row to Everlane selling shoes that look like socks. But here comes the twist: Spring 2026 expands upon the trend by including tight-to-the-foot court shoes, Derby-style lace-ups, kitten heels, and, thanks to Stella McCartney, even stilettos.
Slender Sneaks
Of all the shoe trends on this list, slim sneakers are the one that needs no introduction. You've seen it. You might already own it, considering how widespread the Adidas Tokyo and Puma Speedcat have become. Designers borrowed from an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy and kept the sneaker trend's momentum going—but not without kicking it up a notch. Dries Van Noten went kaleidoscopic, Louis Vuitton chose a black-and-white pixel print, while Prada and Celine used rich-looking satin.
Beads, Embellishments, and Bijoux
For this trend, the more stuff that fits on a shoe, the better. Whether it's a crystal fringe pump, a mule dotted with black beads, a sandal with a built-in toe ring, or a chunky diamond you add yourself—seek out a shoe moment that invites attention and eyeballs.
Backless Loafers
Spring: the season where we desperately want to start wearing less clothing, but can't go fully without. The backless loafer trend shown on the Spring 2026 runways captured this spirit well: The mule silhouette flirts with the warmer days to come, while the fully enclosed front reminds us it's not flip-flop weather just yet. Styles from Bottega Veneta, Calvin Klein, and Celine are ones that would work overtime in your professional rotation.
Why Trust Us
Emma Childs is Marie Claire’s fashion features editor with over eight years of experience in the fashion industry. She focuses on in-depth trend reports and stories covering the intersection of style and human-interest storytelling. She analyzed hundreds of Spring 2026 runway shows to compile this breakdown on the top shoe trends of the season.
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion, and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand
