Are shoes starting to disappear? Transparent shoes are becoming this year’s most controversial fashion trend

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Fashion’s most controversial shoes this year may be the ones that look like they’re barely there. From clear plastic heels and cutout uppers that reveal the toes to barefoot sandals held in place by only a few straps, designers are making the feet themselves part of the look and bringing transparent shoes back into focus on runways and in celebrity styling.

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Saint Laurent brings transparent plastic shoes to the menswear runway

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For its Summer 2027 menswear collection, Saint Laurent had models wear semi-transparent, tan-tinted plastic lace-up shoes. The pointed toes, laces, and Oxford silhouette of traditional formal men’s shoes remain, while the toes and insteps are almost fully visible beneath the transparent uppers.

Creative director Anthony Vaccarello jokingly remarked that if women have long had to wear plastic shoes, why shouldn’t men share the burden? Transparent materials, once seen as an element of sexy women’s footwear, were placed alongside loose suits and long coats, becoming one of the show’s most talked-about details.

As uppers disappear, toes take center stage

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Transparency isn’t the only approach. Balenciaga’s The Zero reduces the shoe to a thin sole and a structure that secures the toes, aiming to make wearing shoes feel close to going barefoot. Khaite’s Eva Pump reveals only part of the foot through an opening in the upper, while Tory Burch adds a circular cutout at the big toe.

The Biarritz sandals in Chanel’s Cruise 2026/27 collection also reduce the structure to a minimum, using thin straps to secure the heel and ball of the foot, making the shoes look more like jewelry worn on the feet. As uppers gradually disappear, toes, arches, and even the texture of the feet become visual elements that designers deliberately put on display.

Transparent shoes aren’t new; they’re back a decade later

images from/Vogue

This trend isn’t unfamiliar. As early as 2016, Kim Kardashian wore Yeezy’s clear PVC heels, while Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Kendall Jenner, and Bella Hadid have all completed looks with transparent heels or boots.

By 2026, Zoë Kravitz had worn Saint Laurent transparent PVC slingbacks, while Jennifer Lopez chose Perspex wedges and clear-strap heels several times during Paris Haute Couture Week. Transparent shoes that leaned toward a sexy, nightclub style a decade ago are now being incorporated into couture, minimalist, and formal looks.

Its most controversial aspect is also its most visible

images from/Getty Images

Transparent shoes have quickly sparked discussion because they leave almost nowhere to hide. Moisture inside the shoe, the shape of the toes, socks, and foot care are all plainly visible, turning what was once simply an accessory into a complete look that requires consideration of the feet themselves.

This also feels like an extension of recent Naked Dress and sheer-dressing trends. As clothes begin to reveal the body’s contours, shoes no longer serve to cover the feet; instead, they deliberately make them visible. Whether transparent shoes are truly practical remains highly debated, yet in the age of social media, simply making people stop for a second look has become reason enough for their existence.

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