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For the past few seasons, bridal shoe trends have been heavily slanted towards the razzle dazzle and extremes. And when it comes to embellishments, the more pearl and crystal detailing, the better!
White shoes were noticeably absent but gold and silver options were aplenty as were clear PVC “Cinderella” heels in lieu of the classic white shoe. That said there is a shift in the air with a renewed focus on classic designs such as modern versions of the streamlined white satin pump fashion icon Jacqueline Bouvier wore to her Newport Rhode Island wedding to John F. Kennedy in 1953.
Fashion Reverie turned to Vanessa Noel, who has been one of the bridal industry’s preeminent wedding shoe designers from the time she began designing bridal shoes at the start of the 1990s. Already a red-carpet favorite, her decision to branch out into bridal was a calculated one.
The decision to delve into bridal footwear paid off with legions of brides flocking to her for the most up-to-the-moment and beautiful shoes on the market. To this day, discerning brides who want luxurious fashion -forward shoes turn to Vanessa Noel for the perfect shoe that reflects their lifestyle, from a classic pump for urban girls, to white satin cowboy boots for Aspen brides and committed horsewomen.
Vanessa Noel shared four shoe trends her brides, who are shopping for their spring/summer 2024 weddings, have been clamoring for and scooping up.
Image courtesy of Vanessa Noel
Trend 1: Pumps – The Classic Pretty Choice. “For my brides, there is a very marked return to the classic coming in and it’s back to a pretty shoe. The pleasing silhouette of a pump with pretty and whimsical embellishment is a favorite.” The “Zenith” fits the bill, a forties retro wrap around style with a tasteful sprinkling of crystals around the ankle.
Image courtesy of Vanessa Noel
Trend 2. Platforms – The Thick 3-inch-High Heel. “Younger brides are favoring destination weddings and are lusting after a very high platform strappy sandal.” Tops in this category are Noel’s white satin platform with a Swarovski crystal buckle, and the “frisk,” a high heel platform crystal cage sandal with a white satin bow detail at the back of the ankle. For minimalist brides, the “Dover,” a silk satin cross-strap high heel platform is the perfect choice.
Images courtesy of Vanessa Noel
Trend 3. White – It’s Always Right. “Brides come to us desperate for a white wedding shoe; there’s an abundance of gold and silver in the market, but very little white to choose from.”
Continues Noel, “If you’ve committed to getting married in a white or cream gown, what looks best is a shoe that matches.” This could be an option as simple as the elevated silk satin “jet set” lug sole docksider for sporty brides who love sailing, to the “Apollo,” a mid-calf white boot with a detachable gladiator style crystal shin guard for those who want a modern twist on the Greco-Roman goddess look.
Trend 4. Toned-down Embellishment. Noel notes a turn away from the “more is more” embellishment trend that has consumed the bridal market for the past few years. “It’s all about placement—where the embellishment is; a shoe is not a cake.” She notes that a pretty shoe that enhances the foot and the leg with well-placed touches of crystals is far more flattering than a shoe that boasts more embellishment than shoe.
The beauty of the shoes that fall into the four trends outlined above is that they are “forever” shoes, ones so beautiful that they could be kept and passed on to the next generation. Brides planning their 2023 weddings have everything to look forward to when shopping in the coming months for themselves and their bridal party.
—Vivian Kelly
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