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– Designer Sandals IN THIS ARTICLE –
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Lance, Tribute, Bomb, Privé, Rockstud, Marmonti. What makes some designer shoes so iconic that we know them by name? I guess we all remember when Miranda Priestly gave Andrea the ultimate fashion lesson, don’t we? She grabs a belt and explains that high-fashion brands create the trends that, one day, we are all gonna wear. Some trends, however, are so iconic that they become classics. Popular brands will copy them and year after year they will remain fashionable and modern. For this post, I selected the most timeless, desired, and copied luxury designer sandals for women that have impeccable taste. You’ll find the classics from Gucci, Louboutin, Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Jimmy Choo, Valentino, Prada, Alaïa. All are made in Italy (except for the wedge espadrilles made in Spain) with the most premium materials and sophisticated craftsmanship.
Flat Designer Sandals That Never Run Out of Style
Valentino Garavani “Rockstud” Jelly Designer Sandals
Colors: Black, White, Beige, and Pink (varies according to the store)
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The Rockstud collection from Valentino became an instant classic when it was launched over a decade ago. Every famous blogger had one! Every brand and their moms made a cheaper version! Since then, you can find all types of shoes with the Rockstud signature: platforms, block heels, pumps, leather flats, slides. It’s timeless! The jelly sandal is a fun and modern version that will be desired for many summers.
Saint Laurent “Cassandra” T-Strap Flat Sandal With YSL Logo
Colors: Black
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Minimalist croc-embossed flat sandals so basic you’ll never wear flip flops again.
Related: The Best Linen Pants For Women
Gucci Jolie logo-embellished quilted leather slides
Colors: Black, Brown
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If these slide sandals had a middle and last name, they would be “effortlessly chic”.
Gucci White T-Strap Slide Sandal With GG
Colors: Black, White, Metallic Gold, and Blue (varies according to the store)
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Maybe these sandals are as iconic as Gucci’s GG belt. The clean t-strap sets the bed to the famous GG logo and it will never be outdated.
Iconic Designer Sandals With Heels
Jimmy Choo “Azia 110” Strappy Black Designer Sandals
Colors: Black, Silver, Crystal Embellished, Beige, Gold, and more (varies according to the store)
Photo from Jimmy Choo
☾ Boss Tip: On Jimmy Choo’s website you can customize your Lance. They have many options of fabric: patent, kid, and suede leather, satin, glitter, moire, snake, and a lot of colors! Oh, my heart wallet!
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For decades Jimmy Choo has been making subtle updates to this classic sandal. So if you look back in the Y2K, you’ll see Jeniffer Aniston flashing those legs and wearing Choos very similar to these. Depending on your tolerance, they are surprisingly comfortable (for a heeled strappy sandal, of course) because of the closed ankle. If the heel is too high, they have lower options in the family. Iconic, right?
Valentino Garavani “Rockstud” Block Heel Gladiator Sandals
Colors: Black, Caramel, Gold, and more (varies according to the store)
Photo from Net-A-Porter
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Wanna talk about classy gladiator sandals? These Valentino Garavani cage sandals are bold and sophisticated. This is the mid-heel, but they also come in high heels. They add that chic modern flair to any look.
Christian Louboutin “Privé” Open Toe Pump
Colors: Black and Light Nude
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Oh, Louboutins open-toe pumps. I remember when they became a thing and every celebrity was wearing them to go to the bakery. Just kidding, but they were trendy over a decade ago and now they are timeless classics. Did you picture the typical CEO from the movies in pencil skirts and button shirts?
Saint Laurent “Tribute” Square-Toe Heeled Sandals
Colors: Several (varies according to the store)
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The Saint Laurent signature Tribute woven entered our lives in 2004. I was in college and I remember the A-list celebs wearing the platform version with jeans and long dresses. All of them wore it. The square toe is one of the modern versions of the classic. It will go with any cool summer outfit.
Platform Designer Sandals That Are Timeless
Jimmy Choo Platform Wedges Designer Sandals
Colors: Pink, White, Gold (varies according to the store)
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Probably Jennifer Aniston had a deal with Jimmy Choo because I also remember her wearing their platform wedges and thinking: I didn’t know Jimmy Choo had casual shoes!
Prada Quilted Leather Flatform Designer Sandals
Colors: Black and White
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Flatforms are one of my favorites types of sandals because of their comfort. Prada’s platforms are a classic. The large cross-strap and slingback ankle strap in premium leather plus the impeccable leather sole set the effortlessly chic tone.
Castañer Espadrille Wedge Closed-Toe Sandals
Colors: Black, Cream, and Red
Photo from Farfetch
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Spanish espadrilles are the best in the World and Castñer mastered the craft for over 100 years. If this is not a classic, then I don’t know.
Saint Laurent Tribute Espadrille Wedge Sandals
Colors: All Black, White, and Tan
Photo from Net-A-Porter
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The Saint Laurent signature Tribute in espadrille wedge version. These platforms are made in Spain, where they master the art and technique of crafting espadrilles.
Final thoughts
You’ve probably seen these designer sandals on famous women, from Hollywood red carpets to Instagramers everywhere during the past decades. This post may feel like a trip to memory lane, but this dinosaur here is obsessed with designer shoes since I was a teenager. And I have no idea where I saw them the first time. Probably on red carpets or gossip sites, when the internet was starting and Instagram didn’t exist. Well, social networks and smartphones didn’t exist. But I remember thinking how powerful they looked and somehow the shoes became the object of that thought.
Some of us love a good trendy pair of shoes that everyone is wearing on Instagram. Some of us stick with the classics, that will look cool in the pictures in 10 or 20 years and never run out of style. I’m on the latter. I’m crazy about the classics.
And I am a minimalist. I lived off-the-grid in the mountains. But for some reason, I’ve been nurturing this fantasy of being a successful woman who can afford designer shoes. I know that there are many ways to measure success and they have nothing to do with designer sandals. I tried to let go of it, but honestly, I really like designer shoes. So I made peace with it and realized that for me, is not about having a closet with more shoes than I can remember. It’s about dreaming, working, and accomplishing.
What do you think?