Fashion fiends immediately recognised the sparkling, double G-adorned slingbacks that Alessandro Michele included in his Resort 2022 show for Gucci. Similar to styles originally designed by Tom Ford during his tenure at the house in the 1990s and early Noughties, Michele marked Gucci’s centenary with a bold tribute to the Texan designer’s influence.
There was a reason Michele revisited Ford’s acclaimed slingbacks: appetite for nostalgic goods is at an all-time high. Dakota Johnson and Dua Lipa were early fans of Michele’s versions, while fashion insiders desperately scoured resale sites to find the OG Ford-era shoes.
Gucci’s slingbacks aren’t the only sexy pairs on the market right now, though. Anthony Vaccarello unveiled various delectable styles for spring/summer 2022, inspired by Paloma Picasso. Sienna Miller is a fan of Saint Laurent’s gilded buckle style, but there are patent and PVC versions, too.
Miuccia Prada, meanwhile, has made slingbacks her signature. At Prada, together with co-creative director Raf Simons, she’s delivered sporty slanted heels in juicy colourways, plus ladylike pointed-toe pairs made from spazzolato leather.
It’s a preppier tale at Miu Miu. Uniform-grey socks complemented pointy low-heel penny loafers at Ms Prada’s spring/summer 2022 show, arriving in polished black and two-tone tan and white.
Meanwhile, brightly coloured slingbacks from party shoe specialist Amina Muaddi are waiting for a mini skirt to do them justice, as are disco-ready heels from The Attico and The Row.