Stepping Out in Style: Chanel's 'Barefoot Shoe' Sparks Debate on Impractical Fashion

When Chanel debuted its half-sandal during its cruise 2027 show in April, it divided the internet despite being presented on a pristine, tailor-made runway. Now, actress Margaret Qualley has become one of the first to brave a red carpet wearing them, in London no less.

For the world premiere of her new film – Ridley Scott's The Dog Stars – Qualley arrived in Leicester Square wearing a Chanel dress and its "barefoot shoe". Novelty shoes are certainly nothing new, as a foot clad in a bizarre creation is almost guaranteed to capture headlines. Alexander McQueen famously created the bulbous, 12-inch Armadillo heel for spring 2010, which smothered the entire foot in a strange, rounded form, while Gucci lined its slides with fur for autumn 2015.

In spring 2017, shoe designer Manolo Blahnik created high boots for Vetements that reached to the waist, and Balenciaga's collaboration with Crocs resulted in platform foam clogs for spring/summer 2018. So why is this Chanel shoe causing such a furore? Cupping the heel and secured with two leather cords, it is undeniably delicate and charmingly pretty.

However, its beauty does little to disguise its near-total uselessness as foot protection. With only the heel covered, the entire front half of the foot is left completely exposed, highlighting the fashion industry's long-standing compromise of comfort for style.

Away from the runway, show-goers are frequently spotted switching from trainers to heels as they race between venues. Chanel seems to be taking this contradiction to its logical extreme: creating a flat shoe that is rendered ridiculous and impractical because half of it is missing. Wearing one is beautifully pointless, as the exposed part of the foot is bound to get dirty.

A quick straw poll of colleagues raises important questions about how such footwear would fare in different climates, such as the scorching heat of the UAE. Perhaps that is precisely the point—is this the ultimate display of wealth, designed for someone so extravagantly rich that normal footwear rules simply no longer apply?