Some of us know what shoes a girl is wearing from a mile away. The bright, red soles on the bottom of a Louboutin or the YSL heel on a pair of Yves Saint Laurents are easy to spot. But what about the other luxury shoe brands? They deserve just as much recognition and any other $500+ pair of shoes. Truth is, most designer have signature styles and after reading this guide you’ll be able to name the designers of the most popular shoes just as quick as the experts.
The Mesh Heel
The mesh heel is hard to miss and I’m sure there’s someone out there wondering “What are those”. They’re made by Bottega Veneta and all of the fashionistas love them. Rihanna was one of the first to grace our Instagram feeds with the show-stopping heel an since then they have become increasingly popular. Female rapper, Bia is also fond of the brand and gave Bottega a shoutout in her song of the summer “Whole Lotta Money”. And they do cost a lot of money. You can find a pair online for a little under $1000 in colors black, red, yellow and white. What do you wear with them? Try a simple dress or jeans and a plain top and let the shoes speak for themselves.
Padded Mules
Just in time for the Y2k trend, Bottega Veneta’s mules are also a popular style from the brand. The padded or woven shoe band scream nostalgia with a twist. The extra texture upgrades each mule into a trendy and classy shoe . The Bottega mules are available with or without a heel for around $1200. There’s hundreds of padded mule designer dupes online but there’s only one Bottega Veneta.
Two-Toned Boots
Since we’re on a Bottega rant, I had to add another pair in the mix but it isn’t a heel. They’re kind of a leather boot and kind of a rain boot. Bottega Veneta tire two-tone boots are probably the newest most talked about shoe from the brand and I can see why. When I first saw the two-toned boots I had to know who the designer was. How could a flat, leather boot look so chic? The boots also come in a knee-high styles costing around $1500 whereas the ankle boots cost $1200.
The Feminine Heel
It’s safe to say Amina Amuaddio is responsible for 25% of the most trending shoes today. Her heels consist of feminine final touches, like the cake stand heel or crystal straps. Probably the most notable design is the pointy closed-toe heel with the ring-like silver embellishment on top. Mega-influencer Kylie Jenner has been seen rocking this style as well as many other designs by Amina Amuaddio. One might argue that this design was stolen from Manolo Blahnik. But let’s be honest, all creator get their inspo from somewhere. If you’re feeling confused on which designer made the shoe, look at the heel. If you see a cake stand you know its Amina Amuaddio.
The Platform Heel
When a girl puts on a pair of platform heels they’re hard to ignore. And as if a the platform isn’t dramatic enough Giuseppe Zanotti has designed many pairs in multiple colors. The 70s is one of my favorite decades for fashion. So when flare jeans and platform heels started to become a thing again I was all for it. Giuseppe isn’t the only designer who has recently made platform heels. Versace also has a few pairs and they’re just as cute.
The Versace Platforms
The main difference between the Giuseppe platform heels and the Versace platform heels is the bottom. Versace has the layered heel on the bottom of the shoe as well as the Medusa charm on the ankle straps. The heels are not an everyday shoe (unless you’re just that fabulous) but they make a great “camp” look and is perfect for on Instagram photo. One pair would cost you around $1200.
The Studded Heels
Prayers were answered for all of the women who were tired of wearing a basic black pump when Valentino Garavani designed the studded heels. Although Garavani has designed many shoes with studs the Rockstud Ankle Strap Heel is one of the most popular. This style varies in color from beige and black but they all cost around $1000. The closed-toe style and open heel makes the shoe classy enough to wear in a formal setting but edgy enough for the Girl Boss.
The Beaded Border
Speaking of edge, the beaded border Alexander Wang heel has also caused a lot of noise in the fashion industry. Alexander Wang is imprinted in white letters on the heel’s shoe straps but its hard to make out from afar. However, now you know all credits go to Wang. The heels only comes in black and tbh black is enough.
The Wrap Around Heel
Kim Kardashian is a fan of a good knee high wrap around Rene Caovilla heel and can you blame her ? The heels are a twist of classy and sexy. The sparkling straps are shiny enough to catch your eye but thin enough to accent a great pair of legs and feet. They pair beautifully with gowns and have been worn by many other celebs outside of Kim on the red carpets. If you want a pair for yourself plan to spend around $1200.
That sums up this guide on naming designer heels. How well do you know your designers now ?