If softness and fluidity prevailed in the spring/summer ready-to-wear collections, it should come as little surprise that the spring/summer 2025 shoe trends mirror those motifs. As a defining element of designers’ world building, recurring footwear themes from past seasons abound, with creative directors showing their affinity for certain silhouettes, while still advancing them for the new season.
Read more: The Key Spring/Summer 2025 Trends To Know Now
The retro sneaker stood out as the most practical trend, appearing at Loewe as colourful high-top takes on the Ballet Runner, at Miu Miu where they were worn-in and styled with contrasting ankle socks, and again at Gucci, where box-fresh white pairs grounded Sabato De Sarno’s polished tailored looks.
Loafers felt distinctly more relaxed compared to autumn, hinting at the season’s ease of dressing with styles that reimagined the classics with more easygoing features: Miu Miu gave the penny loafer an elastic, ballet-like backing; Prada said arrivederci to the penny strap entirely, and Tod’s chose to replace the penny slot with a row of annulets. Jonathan Anderson, meanwhile, delivered the most playful take with boat shoe-inspired laces.
It was the fashion pumps, however, that really defined the mood: sleek and sculptural, they were presented with a sleight of hand that played into the “sorcery of seduction” that Vogue’s senior archive editor Laird Borrelli-Persson expounded on in her analysis of the season’s top fashion trends. Khaite’s take was particularly notable, with a striking front toe slit that revealed a hint of skin.
The spring deliveries are yet to arrive, but in the meantime, discover the three top spring/summer 2025 shoe trends, and shop similar styles from our favourite runways.
Retro sneakers remain
Designers aren’t finished with the retro sneaker. For spring/summer, a number of brands played off the sophisticated sportiness seen in ready-to-wear, fuelling fashion’s post-Olympics athletic fixation. A minimalist take reigned supreme at Gucci, where a box-fresh white pair offset a slate grey tailored ensemble. The worn-in look continued at Miu Miu with a patinated sneaker in a burgundy and navy colourway (don’t forget to style with contrasting ankle socks!). Proenza Schouler, meanwhile, went for graphic black and white (a runway style that is already available), while Stella McCartney reimagined boxing shoe laces as decorative fringing and Loewe introduced the high-top version of its cult favourite Ballet Runner. Shop current season options from the likes of Loewe and Miu Miu if you can’t wait until spring for a sneaker refresh.
Loafers
Loafers were abundant in the spring/summer 2025 collections, though what you see isn’t always what you get. Scrunched leathers and square toes define many of new silhouettes, adding an element of soft power to the feminine looks they were styled with. Less directional than autumn/winter 2024’s loafer shapes, these allow for experimentation without losing the plot. Jonathan Anderson’s spirited boat shoe-inspired lace-up loafer conveys this perfectly, and the style is sure to be a top-trending item once the spring deliveries land. Tod’s ostrich leather loafer, meanwhile, sees its penny strap adorned with a row of golden annulets, while Prada gives us an entirely penny-less take. Both Prada’s patent leather style and Miu Miu’s ballet-like elastic leather flat are two covetable runway designs you can shop now. Or, discover a new squared off slip-on loafer from the likes of Dear Frances.
Fashion girl pumps
Building on the idea of “soft power” in the season’s ready-to-wear collections, which Borrelli-Persson described “as uplifting, positive, and women-friendly,” it made sense that the heels buoyed that motif. Fit for the fashion lover, pumps celebrated individuality and personal histories. Khaite reworked the idea of “toe cleavage” with the smallest of slits in the front, revealing just a hint of the second toe. Meanwhile, fans of Prada have something to look forward to with icons both new and old revived for the season ahead – the ones pictured above reference a 2023 favourite with winged tips. Elsewhere, Bottega Veneta debuted a sculptural pump in the brand’s signature weave, expanding the Italian house’s intrecciato universe.
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