Style Starts at the Sole12 models
Footwear
From classic oxfords to modern handcrafted sneakers.
Block heel
A block heel is a thick, wide heel of rectangular or cylindrical shape that provides a large support area. Unlike a thin stiletto, a block heel distributes body weight evenly, so it is far more comfortable and safer to walk in — even on uneven surfaces and for a long time. At the same time it adds height and lengthens the leg just as well. A block heel comes in any height — from low to very high — and gives a look both elegance and a modern, confident character. It is one of the most practical and popular kinds of heel. A block heel is a thick, wide heel with a large support area, in which height and elegance combine with comfort and stability, making it the most practical alternative to the stiletto for those who value both beauty and comfort.
D'Orsay
A D'Orsay is a shoe of a special cut in which only the toe and heel are closed, while the sides at the instep are cut away and open, baring the arch of the foot on one or both sides. This elegant detail visually lengthens and slims the leg, making the shoe especially refined and feminine. The style, by legend, was named after the French Count d'Orsay — a famous 19th-century dandy. D'Orsay is most often made on a heel (classic or stiletto), and it sounds festive and seductive while remaining elegantly restrained. The open sides add lightness to the shoe. A D'Orsay is an elegant shoe with open sides at the instep, in which cutaway sides bare the arch of the foot, visually lengthening the leg and creating an especially refined, feminine and slightly seductive silhouette with a touch of historical charm.
Flatforms
Flatforms are footwear on a thick, solid platform of even height along the whole length of the foot, with no drop between heel and toe (unlike the wedge). The name is a hybrid of 'flat' and 'platform'. Flatforms add height like a platform or wedge, but thanks to the even sole they keep the foot in a flat, comfortable position, so they are easy to walk in all day. They have a modern, slightly bold and youthful character, and the voluminous sole makes the silhouette graphic. Flatforms appear on sandals, sneakers, shoes and boots. Flatforms are footwear on a thick even platform with no height drop, in which added height combines with the comfort of a flat sole, creating a modern, graphic and youthful silhouette comfortable for all-day wear.
Heels
Heels is the general name for women's footwear with a raised heel, and also of the part itself that lifts the back of the foot above the front. Heels radically change posture, gait and proportion: the leg is visually lengthened, an arch appears in the foot, the calves are emphasised, and the whole silhouette gains slenderness and femininity. Historically the heel appeared as a practical detail for riders (to brace against the stirrup), but quickly became a symbol of status and aesthetics. The height and shape of the heel define the character of the shoe: from a comfortable stable heel to a dramatic stiletto. Heels are a powerful style tool, able to turn even a simple look into an elegant and confident one. At the same time they demand skill in wearing. They are a classic symbol of femininity, celebration and a special occasion.
Kitten heel
A kitten heel is a low, thin and refined heel usually 3–5 cm high, of a shape resembling a stiletto but far lower. The name (from 'kitten') hints at its small, 'baby' size. The kitten heel offers a compromise: it adds the elegance and femininity of a heel to a look but is far more comfortable and stable than a high stiletto, so one can walk in it easily all day. Historically this style was popularised in the 1950s as a 'training' heel for young girls, and the style icon Audrey Hepburn made it a symbol of refined simplicity. Today the kitten heel is a fashionable alternative to the high heel. A kitten heel is a low, thin and elegant heel, in which the refined shape of a stiletto combines with the comfort and stability of a low height, offering feminine elegance without sacrificing comfort — a refined alternative to the high heel.
Mary Jane
Mary Janes are shoes with a closed rounded toe and a characteristic strap across the instep, fastened with a button or buckle. The name comes from an early-20th-century comic-strip character. Historically it was a style of children's footwear that later passed into adult fashion, keeping its sweet, slightly retro and innocently coquettish character. Mary Janes come flat-soled, on a low or high heel, in classic black or bright versions. The strap holds the shoe securely on the foot and is at the same time the main decorative accent. The style is popular in retro, preppy and romantic styles. Mary Janes are shoes with a closed toe and a strap across the instep, in which the characteristic fastening combines a secure fit with a sweet, retro and innocently coquettish character that makes the style a favourite of romantic and preppy looks.
Peep-toe
Peep-toe shoes have a small open cut at the toe through which the toes peek (from 'peep'). This style occupies a middle place between fully closed shoes and open sandals: it adds lightness, femininity and a note of sensuality to a look while remaining elegantly restrained. Peep-toes are most often made on a heel, and they go beautifully with evening and festive dress, as well as summer business looks. The small cut visually lightens the shoe and freshens even a strict silhouette. Peep-toe shoes are shoes with an open cut at the toe, in which an intermediate form between closed and open footwear combines elegant restraint with a note of lightness and sensuality, making them a refined choice for evening, festive and summer looks.
Platform
The platform is a type of sole, thickened and raised along the whole length of the foot (not only under the heel). It adds height like a heel, but thanks to the even thickness it keeps the foot in an almost natural position, so a platform is more comfortable and puts less strain on the foot than a stiletto of the same height. The platform has a vivid fashion history: from the footwear of actors in the ancient theatre (cothurni) to the wild platforms of the 1970s disco era and subcultures (glam rock, goths, Japanese Harajuku). It makes the silhouette taller and the look bolder and more expressive. Modern platforms appear on everything: from sneakers and sandals to boots and shoes. It is footwear for those who want height, character and effect without sacrificing stability. The platform is a bold, confident accent that always draws attention.
Pump
A pump (court shoe) is a classic closed women's shoe on a heel, with a shallow cut at the front that reveals the instep, without fastenings, straps or laces. It is one of the most versatile and elegant styles of women's footwear, appropriate in a business, evening and festive context. The simplicity and purity of the pump's line make it a timeless classic, and the height of the heel may be anything — from low to stiletto. A classic nude pump visually lengthens the leg, while a black patent one is an indispensable evening option. The pump is the foundation of an elegant women's wardrobe. A pump is a classic closed women's shoe on a heel, in which a clean, spare line without excess detail creates a timelessly elegant, versatile silhouette, appropriate from the office to the evening outing.
Slingback
A slingback is a shoe with a closed toe but an open heel held by a thin strap at the back (from the name: sling — 'loop, suspension'). This style combines the elegance of a closed front with the lightness and freshness of an open heel, so it is ideal for the warm season and the transition between seasons. A slingback looks feminine, refined and slightly retro; it is popular on both a low and a high heel. One of the most iconic modern examples is the two-tone Chanel slingback. The strap at the back can be adjusted, and the open heel visually lightens the shoe. A slingback is an elegant shoe with a closed toe and an open heel on a strap, in which combining the crispness of the front with the lightness of the open heel creates a refined, feminine and slightly retro silhouette, ideal for the warm season.
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