Carrie Bradshaw Heels Are All Over Copenhagen Fashion Week

Unsurprisingly, Copenhagen, with its cobbles and bicycle culture, was the perfect city for souped-up ballet pumps. Last August, Vogue noted how everyone was wearing fancy flats, from Alaïa’s crystal-embellished ballet pumps to Margiela’s split-toe Tabi. “At a time where the fashion mood consists of minimal silhouettes and ultra-wearable clothes, it’s fun to add playfulness and personality through accessories, particularly footwear,” Madeline Fass, Vogue.com’s fashion market editor, explained at the time. “Alaïa’s crystal-covered Mary-Janes, while embellished, are totally flat. They make a statement, but are great for all day, everyday wear. In a cobblestone-heavy Copenhagen, I was so happy to have them – not to mentioned they added a little sparkle to an otherwise dreary forecast.”

Copenhagen Fashion Week August 2024.

Raimonda Kulikauskiene/Getty Images

Copenhagen Fashion Week August 2024.

Raimonda Kulikauskiene/Getty Images

This week, however, there has been a subtle shift, with show-goers returning to high heels. Of course, you’ll still spot Adidas SL72s and caged jelly shoes in the street-style shots, however the most popular shoe for August 2024 has been a ’90s sandal or mule that looks straight out of Carrie Bradshaw’s archive. These mini heels will lend polish to any look, however if you’re a reluctant heels wearer, you can still prioritise comfort – I can personally vouch for the fact that the Jimmy Choo Avenue 50 knotted mules are a realistic all-day shoe.

Joy Montgomery, commerce editor at British Vogue, is currently on the ground in Copenhagen, wearing a micro heel herself, and has noticed this shift in footwear. “While flats have dominated over the last few years, it seems as though the ‘90s kitten heel is making a stealth return for 2024,” she says from the shows. “If the show-goers at Copenhagen fashion week are anything to go by, the most popular pairing seems to be the kitten heel plus jorts or capri pants – a classic Carrie Bradshaw ensemble.”

Copenhagen Fashion Week August 2024.

Raimonda Kulikauskiene/Getty Images

Copenhagen Fashion Week August 2024.

Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

Carrie Bradshaw personally favoured a low, peep-toe mule (preferably by Manolo Blahnik), and so it makes sense that this ’90s shoe would be paired with other nostalgic trends like jorts, bubble-hem skirts and cargo pants. Strappy heels also had a moment on the spring/summer 2024 runways, as the likes of Khaite, Jil Sander and Ferragamo brought us shoes with asymmetric straps and a minimalist, ’90s feel. But you might even be able to Lime Bike in these shoes, as Hanna Stefansson cycled to a show in white shorts and Sania D’Mina strappy sandals – proof, surely, of the trend’s unexpected practicality.

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