Few Fall items were as buzzed about as Olivier Theyskens' otherworldly, sky-high shoes for his final collection at Nina Ricci. At 8-inches high, the goth-meets-space age creations were impossible not to notice. At Alexander McQueen, where typical theatrics were in full-effect, footwear rose to equally eye-catching as well as towering heights. Shoes reached such high altitudes across the board at this past fashion week that The Cut embarked on an on-camera, Manhattan sidewalk test run of the season's most awe-inspiring and fear-inducing styles. Fortunately no one fell. Models on a handful of FW09 catwalks weren't so lucky.
AP Photo; Sipa
In what could be read as an outright protest against this season's often-torturous sky-high heels are the flats that a handful of designers opted to outfit their models in for Fall collection presentations. Christopher Kane and Comme des Garçons were among the many designers who topped off their women's wear with a men's inspired brogue. Zero + Maria Cornejo followed suit, as did Alexander Wang in some respects. While the former stuck to flats or very low heels, the latter introduced one of the most in-demand styles for Fall - The Creeper boot - which comes in a version both heeled and flat.
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Balmain was arguably one of the first designers to bring punk-inspired studded footwear back into style (although there's nothing punk about the $1,600 price tag that hung from Balmain's Spring 2010 studded sandals that landed on countless celebs and spawned twice as many knock-offs come summer). And for Fall, quite a few designer heavyweights have followed suit. Miuccia Prada outfitted her male models in black oxfords ornamented with simple studding (nothing close to Christopher Decarin's taste for bling, however). Givenchy likewise introduced an open-toed, zip-up, stud-laden heel whose only subtlety lies in its pale blue coloring. Christian Louboutin also has taken to studding for FW09, introducing a covetable pair of androgynous Rollerball Loafers that will set stud-lovers back a cool $995.
AP Photo
Leave it to shoe designer Nicholas Kirkwood to create one of the season's most iconic looks for Rodarte. Best described as “bondage pirate,” the lace-up, over-the-knee leather boots Rodarte sent down their February runway are sure to be one of the most memorable footwear aspects of Fall. Chloe's Hannah MacGibbon caught her stride with a well-received collection that included over-the-knee leather boots that, although lace-up like Kirkwood's creations, are worn drastically more slouchy and roomy. Gucci opted for skin-tight black leather for its over-the-knee boots for fall.
JP Yim, WireImage / Getty Images; Nathalie Lagneau, Catwalking / Getty Images; Chris Moore, Catwalking / Getty Images
Many artifacts of high-fashion footwear this fall are embracing a business-in-the-front, party-in-the-back model. Take Prada and Givenchy. Miuccia Prada outfitted the heels she sent down the runway with vertical leather strips calling to mind a handheld fan. Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy, on the other hand, festooned feathers onto the back of certain heels for a decidedly frivolous effect.
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Many of this season's hottest styles are all about sole. Numerous designers outfitted the bottom of their FW09 shoes with metal plates or soles so eye-catching they stole the show altogether. Proenza Schouler and Gianfranco Ferre offered high-reaching heels with exceptionally thick soles (the former's footwear included multiple-toned rubber bottoms for their heeled oxfords).
Karl Prouse, Catwalking / Getty Images; Sipa
This fall will welcome a full roster of shoe collaborations. Mark Ronson has teamed up with Gucci, while sis/DJ/sometime Lindsay Lohan significant-other Samantha Ronson has partnered with Supra. Both collaborations will produce limited edition sneakers. Jean Paul Gaultier has updated Dr. Martens with diamond-shaped cut-outs, while Comme des Garçons has collaborated with Converse on a too-cute take on the iconic kick (the latter is called PLAY and replaces Converse's imprint with red hearts with eyes). Jeremy Scott went disco with his new take on the Adidas high-top.
Courtesy of Comme des Garcons
Cut-outs were a big trend on Fall catwalks, and the peek-a-boo fashions didn't stop at the clothing. Multiple new shoe styles for fall feature the same approach designers took to see-thru garments, including perforations and the absence of a precisely cut piece of leather. At Fendi, Karl Lagerfeld introduced boots that looked like pumps complete with shin guards (thanks to leather missing from atop the foot), while at Balenciaga Nicolas Ghesquiere accented his perforated booties with draped suede that echoed his stunning silk skirts and blouses. Jean Paul Gaultier likewise boarded the cut-out train for his teaming up with Dr. Martens.
Antonio Calanni / AP Photo
Sky-high wedges are bound for ubiquity this fall. Dolce & Gabbana introduced leopard-print skyscraper wedges on its Fall catwalk. Two brands beloved by twenty-something trendsetters - Opening Ceremony and Acne - are featuring similarly structured pairs this season. Alexa Chung has already sported the latter's two-toned lace-up wedges on her MTV show, It's On With Alexa Chung. Meanwhile, Opening Ceremony is offering a handful of wedge styles for women this fall in addition to a buzzed-about lace-up version Chloe Sevigny included in her collection for the international retailer.
Luca Bruno / AP Photo
Marc Jacobs and Francisco Costa must have been drinking from the same well when it came to crafting their shoes for Fall. Both Louis Vuitton and Calvin Klein showed shoes whose focus was the heel itself. At Vuitton, heels called to mind hour glasses with baubles fashioned at their center. At Calvin Klein, Costa played with cut-outs, entirely removing the interior of a number of heels.
