by What is spangly, gives a podiatrist nightmare and costs the best part of a lot? The latest obsession of the series of styles of course. Despite the bad backs of those of us who spent the better part of the Noughties walking around in them, ballet shoes are back with a vengeance. But not just any old familiar £15 Bloch knockoff. No, Alaïa are the coolest, prettiest and most popular versions. The a-what-a? Yes Clueless stans, the same highly respected French house founded by the late Azedine Alaïa in 1964, is still white-hot thanks to his successor Pieter Mulier’s nice way with cultured accessories and wearables.
The brand’s crystal flats – a single oval strap with a clear crystal – first launched in May 2022, since then the shoe has gone out of sales time and time again, with fans clamoring to get their hands on a pair, even at £750 for the mesh version and £890 for the leather.
Vogue’s Chioma Nnadi wears her pants by Adidas; Ayo Edebiri, star of The Bear, wears them with ripped jeans. Their appeal is the instant cool factor and polish they bring to any outfit. ELLE editor-in-chief Kenya Hunt is also a fan: “They’re a perfect marriage of style and practicality. They are as easy and comfortable to wear as bedroom slippers and still add a strong sense of fashion, a little sex, and joy to every look.
“At first, I liked the ‘if you know you are’ quality they had. They were also impossible to track down and so was the thrill of the chase. I bought mine over a year and a half ago, when the Alaïa Paris team found a great pair further out in France and got them to me. I’ve been wearing them with everything – from vintage jeans to new Comme des Garçons – ever since. I also love that they make, and lift, an outfit instantly. You don’t have to spend much more with them if you don’t want to.”
The shoes are a huge hit at retail and the brand has had repeated success in a series of modified styles too – in perforated leather and mesh, both very tempting, that is if you can get hold of them. even on them.
Net-a-porter has seen a 400 percent increase in searches for Alaïa ballet shoes over the past six months. Market director Libby Page describes the demand as “the fashion trend we’ve seen in recent years. Ballet flats, especially mesh styles, allow our customers to incorporate a fun silhouette into their chic and comfortable wardrobe.”
Selfridges has seen the same excitement for them. “Demand is strong and we don’t see it slowing down,” says shoe buyer Peter Rodwell. It’s calling it “the perfect combination of brand power and women’s enduring love for the ballet flat”. He adds: “The Strass crystals draw the eye and increase the desirability of this new lifestyle. Returning customers are already looking for a new season [styles] they’re starting to see it on social media.”
Of course, the shoe has brought a new, flashy ballerina movement, with dozens of brands capitalizing on the style. If you’re desperate to wear some runway scores, Loewe has just released its new rhinestone drenched flats, and even at £1,200 it’s unlikely to stay in stock for long.
From left: Luna red mesh slippers, £355, lemonberyl.com; Wall crystal flats, £575, uk.dearfrances.com; Embellished ballet pumps, £80, dunelondon.com; Crystal embellished mesh ballet flats, £750, Alaïa, Net-a-porter.com; Mesh ballet flats with rhinestones, £49.99, zara.com; Bethany ballet flats, £298, eolas.com; Toy ballerina, £1200, loewe.com
Friend Frances had a similar sales story with her Balla crystal flats that come in white and black, with two variations of crystals packed across the mesh shoe. Restock the mesh style five times in 12 months and will restock the nearly sold out crystal version at the end of the month. The thought of mesh might make you think, why God, but in reality the stretchy material is very springy and comfortable.
To add a little more softness, the candle is balanced by a chunky strap and a small (very small) Bethany Reformation style rhinestone heel (get on the waiting list if your size is sold out). At the end of the street, Zara is doing a great job with its bright nude flats, and Next has a complete Alaïa dupe as they say on Tiktok, mine for a friendly £36.
Le Monde Beryl, founded by Londoners Lily Atherton Hanbury and Katya Shyfrin, and worn by Alexa Chung and Kaia Gerber, is another independent brand whose stock has grown with the appetite for ballerinas. Their latest mesh styles come in a pretty good red, the trick is also the slightly pointed inner line of the shoe which gives the illusion of an elongated leg and is flat on the foot. One note on simple mesh styles – you will need to straighten your toes. A visibly chipped nail is also not advisable with any look
