Fashion: What The Heel …?

Women's footwear designers seem to be focusing their innovative efforts this season on one particular part of the shoe: the heel. Prada's Flower-Heel Mary Janes are dressed in purple and green velvet with dark green patent-leather trim, and the heel resembles an art-deco flower ($750; neimanmarcus.com).

For something a little edgier, Louis Vuitton's Extreme Leopard Chain Pump ($1,570; eluxury.com) in pony-styled calf leather has a one-of-a kind heel made of leopard-print Plexiglas cut to resemble a chain. Fendi takes the motif more literally, making a black suede sandal with knotted straps, its heel encased in a metallic chain-link cage ($690; bergdorfgoodman.com).

Christian Dior's glitzy red suede pump features a 14-centimeter cutout strassed, or crystal-covered, heel ($1,295; dior.com). Sergio Rossi's studded, rust, 10-centimeter-high leather sandals feature a heel made of three gold spheres ($793; sergiorossi .com). But for those who really want to walk on air, British fashion designer Antonio Berardi has cleverly designed 14-centimeter-high snakeskin shoes that don't actually have any heels. Wearers maintain their balance on thick platform soles that extend to the middle of each arch, providing ample support. Order soon; there is already a five-week waiting list ($3,600; brownsfashion.com).