It was but a mere four months ago when designer Matthieu Blazy presented his Resort 2027 collection for Chanel in Biarritz – leaving the whole fashion world talking. And not for its chic assortment of tweeds or its star-studded front row, but for its freaky choice of runway footwear.
Models sauntered down the catwalk in non-shoes – or “barefoot sandals”, as they’re now known – which feature only a little leather heel cap that you lace yourself into, leaving your soles and toes completely uncovered. It’s one thing to wear them on a catwalk though, and quite another to brave the grimy streets of London. Margaret Qualley did exactly that yesterday evening.
The actor hit the step-and-repeat for her new Ridley Scott film The Dog Stars in Trafalgar Square. (It co-stars Jacob Elordi.) Up top, the star donned a classic-enough little black dress: cap-sleeved, delicately fringed and also designed by Blazy for Chanel. But it was her unconventional choice of footwear that stole the show. Qualley walked the paparazzi-lined carpet half-barefoot, her little piggies on full display against the hard grey concrete. (The one time a red carpet doesn’t come with a plush carpet. Poor her.)
Before you go bemoaning Qualley’s choice of sandals, is a splashy premiere not the perfect place to wear them? For one, red-carpet dressing isn’t meant to be practical: it’s a space for stars to have fun and take risks (and barefoot sandals certainly tick both boxes). Secondly, they make perfect sense within Qualley’s personal style. Not everyone could pull off something quite so beachy and free-spirited, but her fashion sensibility has always leaned towards the ethereal and romantic. It just works.
Besides, the barefoot sandals were never meant to be commercial fodder. Given they’re not currently available online, chances are you’ll only get your hands on a pair if you’re a VIP or a big-time Chanel client. They’re not designed to be popular. So kudos to Qualley for giving them a spin in front of so many eyes – though something tells me she might have slipped into an actual shoe-shoe once it was time to head home.
