The Prada-Backed Shoe Trend I'm About Ready to Ditch My Pointy-Toe Pairs For

Eliza Huber's avatar
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Black and green pairs of Prada square-toe kitten-heel mules.

(Image credit: @laurenegg)

It's talked about a lot in fashion just how consistently Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons determine what people want to buy. Ever since the duo partnered up on the top step at Prada in 2020, practically every collection has led the trends for the season ahead, from the spring 2022's distressed leather jackets and fall 2022's logo-embossed tank tops to spring 2023's vintage nightgowns and fall 2023's white A-line skirts. Their work pretty much always leads to, first, viral success, and second, every other brand under the sun getting in on the action with their own versions of whatever hit Prada and Simons have most recently come up with. For spring, that buzzy item arrived in the form of multicolor satin square-toe mules that debuted at the spring 2024 show and immediately began appearing on every fashion person's mood board for the season ahead.

Prior to the Prada show, pointy shoes (and some almond-toe alternatives) were all anyone could talk about or wear, and while the Milanese brand did include satin footwear in the collection that featured the knife-like edge, they simply didn't blow up in the same way that the square-toe iterations did right out the gate. The fact that the shape was so different from what was big at the time is what made it stand out and, in turn, kickstart a shoe trend that had previously been lacking momentum.

At Prada:

A model at Prada's spring/summer 2024 runway show wearing a sheer blue dress with pink square-toe mules on.

(Image credit: Prada/Launchmetrics Spotlight)

A model at Prada's spring/summer 2024 runway show wearing a pink sheer dress with orange square-toe mules.

(Image credit: Prada/Launchmetrics Spotlight)

Shortly after, when Louise Trotter unveiled her much-anticipated debut collection for the French fashion house Carven at Paris Fashion Week that same season, more square-toe shoes were present. Unlike at Prada, there were no jewel tones or satiny finishes but instead neutral alternatives in both flat and heeled options, with some of the shoes even coming in a puffed-up version akin to a leather pillow for your feet. And just like that, square toes became *the* shoe trend of the season, and now that both brands' versions are out and on the market, it's time to give them the attention they rightly deserve.

Scroll down to shop square-toe shoes at Carven, Prada, and more for spring and summer.

At Carven:

A model at Carven's spring/summer 2024 runway show wearing a trench coat with a gray sweater, a gray sheer skirt, and gray square-toe mules.

(Image credit: Carven/Launchmetrics Spotlight)

A model walking at Carven's spring/summer 2024 runway show wearing a natural-colored blazer, a sheer skirt, and tan square-toe mules.

(Image credit: Carven/Launchmetrics Spotlight)

Shop Carven's and Prada's square-toe mules:

Shop more square-toe shoes:

Eliza Huber
Eliza Huber
Associate Editorial Director

Eliza Huber is currently the Associate Editorial Director at Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2021 as a fashion editor after starting her career as a writer at Refinery29, where she worked for four years. During her time at WWW, she launched Go Sports, the publication's sports vertical, and published four (and counting) quarterly issues tied to the WNBA, Formula One, and more. She also created two franchises, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, Gracie Abrams, and Sabrina Carpenter for WWW's monthly cover features; and reported on new seasonal trends, up-and-coming designers, and celebrity style.