Every Major Shoe Trend That Will Take Over in Fall 2025

For the fall/winter 2025 collections, we took a close look at the biggest trends that emerged on the runways. Some of the larger themes of the season centered femininity in fashion, a sense of nostalgia that has been driving style as designers looked back to different style eras, and continued takes on corporate dress codes. Unsurprisingly, these ideas also trickled down to what we saw south of the ankle with footwear.
An array of pumps walked the runways, including everything from sleek and classic styles to raw and imperfect versions. Satin made a big comeback, and peep-toe heels with a twist continued their resurgence. Faux exotic materials brought a sense of polish to everything from knee-high boots to sporty sneakers. Embellishments took the form of shrunken brooches, exaggerated pearls, and intricate floral appliqués. Ahead, get a closer look at the biggest shoe trends from the fall/winter 2025 runways.
Peep-Toe Shoes
Peep-toe shoes first made an impact in the spring/summer 2025 collections. At Tory Burch and Khaite, peep-toe heels returned with modern takes that reimagined the classic shoes. For fall/winter 2025, we're seeing that continue with an array of cutout shapes and placements on the toe of the shoe spotted in the collections of Miu Miu, Ferragamo, Fendi, and Tory Burch.
Satin
Nostalgic romance is getting dialed up in many ways in fashion as designers look to the past and usher in a new wave of elegant style. One way that is playing out is through satin. We saw the return of shimmering satin slip dresses and voluminous skirts but also expect satin shoes to be a key accessory for fall.
Exotic Materials
Elegant, polished pieces were big on the runways. In the footwear space, we saw this executed with embossed exotics. A range of faux-crocodile, -alligator, and -snakeskin materials finished everything from pumps to knee-high boots to sneakers.
Pumps
Corporate dress codes again prevailed on the runways with an array of suiting, skirt sets, and tote workbags. It comes as no surprise that pumps were the shoes of choice alongside this 9-to-5 attire. We saw everything from classic-yet-modern leather pumps at Calvin Klein to aged, bow-embellished styles at Prada.
Embellishments
Oversize pearls! Mini brooches! Bows! Floral appliqués! Many of the shoes debuted for fall/winter 2025 were finished with embellishments. With conversations throughout fashion month centered on ideas about femininity in fashion, many of these details touched on archetypes of femininity.
This article was previously published and has since been updated.
Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear where she oversees luxury, runway content, and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, and Tiffany & Co., and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.
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