We Go High: How The Heel Reached Dizzying New Heights

Rihanna in ripped denim and Amina Muaddis. Hailey Bieber in razor-thin Saint Laurent Tributes. Doja Cat in metallic green D’Accori Belles. Meghan Markle in classic Manolos. It’s hard to think of a more symbolic, or popular, post-pandemic accessory story than the return of sky-high heels.

The end of lockdown sparked a seismic shift in the way we dressed. As doors unlatched, we flung our soup-stained joggers into the corner of the room, bursting forth in a riotous explosion of vivid suiting, sequinned dresses and space-demanding skirts with feather-trimmed everything. Partywear brands like The Attico, The Vampire’s Wife, Poster Girl and 16Arlington became a daily uniform, as attempts to reclaim lost time gave each new calendar event the significance of three, the cumulative demand for glamour sending dress codes into the stratosphere. After two years in confinement, ‘People wanted to celebrate life,’ says Aquazzura’s Edgardo Osorio. ‘Dressing up is part of the fun.’

LAUNCHMETRICS SPOTLIGHT

It’s no surprise, then, that in the wake of Y2K-mania, sales of impractically high stilettos, courts and platforms are soaring to the heights of the shoes themselves. ‘The more fun, fancy and over the top, the better,’ proclaims Browns’ buying director Ida Petersson, who has noticed a shift away from kitten styles. ‘It’s all about ultra-high heel heights from the likes of Haus of Honey, Amina Muaddi and celebrity favourite Mach & Mach, and the desire for full-throttle glamour,’ she says. So ravenous is our appetite, Loewe even turned heels into works of art, reimagining them as cracked eggs, tulips and nail polish.

Meanwhile, Versace’s Medusa Aevitas and Valentino’s Tan-Gos compete for the title of world’s most vertiginous shoe (seen on everyone from Dua Lipa to Anne Hathaway). For those concerned that contorted toes might hinder the fun, these giant platforms offer an incredible solution: a shallow gradient that takes pressure off the ball of the foot, but enough height to put attention-seekers head and shoulders above the crowd. It’s comfort meets Big Stomp Energy.