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There’s a lot to digest at the Autumn/Winter 2024 men’s fashion shows taking place in Europe this month.
From Rick Owens’ dogged willingness to push the boundaries of shoe design to Comme des Garçons’ intriguing use of proportion, there were plenty of shoes and accessories to garner attention in Milan and Paris.
Some eye-catching styles featured kitschy fruit motifs, while others used cozy materials to create animal-like boots. Here are the craziest (in a good way), most talked-about men’s shoes from the Fall 2024 collections shown in Paris and Milan this month.
Charles Jeffrey Loverboy
New banana claw boots from Charles Jeffrey Loverboy.
Celebrating his 10th anniversary this year, Scottish designer Charles Jeffrey is back with his latest punk-meets-experimental fusion collection. Jeffrey’s signature claw shoe series, first launched in Autumn/Winter 2019 in collaboration with British shoe manufacturer Loker, returns this season in the form of a chunky Wellington boot. The most whimsical version is a bright yellow boot with peeled bananas sprouting as it makes its way up the wearer’s calf, so you can literally walk on bananas. Just make sure you don’t slip.
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Comme des Garçons
New Comme des Garçons x Kids Love Gaite dress shoes.
Building on last season’s double-shoe-themed collaboration with Kids Love Gate, Comme des Garçons Homme has created new styles for Fall/Winter ’24. Last season, the two companies created a derby dress shoe with a double toe, but this season the shoe features a double-sole. The new lace-up brogue features a second, exaggerated sole that juts out from the side of the shoe. Featuring wingtip detailing, the dress shoe model appeared on the runway in two colors: a traditional black style and a snakeskin-print leather version. Here’s hoping the extra sole doesn’t trip anyone up.
Dsquared
Dsquared’s new Sasquatch boots.
Known for their statement shoes, Dsquared2 has just launched that for Fall 2024. The new fluffy Sasquatch (Dsquared2’s words, not ours) boots fit into the collection’s overall theme of combining raw and refined materials and elements of ideas. The new boots are reminiscent of an après-ski moment somewhere in the Alps, although we’re not sure if they’ll look as good when they get wet.
Fendi
Fendi collaborates with MAD Architects on a futuristic new sneaker.
This season’s show saw the unveiling of a new collaboration with Ma Yansong, founder of Los Angeles and Rome-based architecture studio MAD Architects. The capsule collection’s accessories are unmistakably from the future, as they are said to further this season’s dialogue between humans and nature with a futuristic edge. For the collaborative footwear, Fendi and Yansong created a slip-on, futuristic sneaker featuring an organic injection-molded sole and an upper with two-tone bubble details and metallic accents. The low, flat profile aims to be an ergonomic alternative to this season’s twisted classics.
Feng Cheng Wang
Feng Cheng Wang’s new removable chaff sole is worn with the upcoming Chuck 70 sneakers.
Known for her bold conceptual designs, the China-born, London-based menswear designer has unveiled an otherworldly new removable molded sole. According to Wang, the 3D molded sole, called Chahu, is inspired by the shape of a deformed teapot, with its irregular edges curving in three dimensions. (Tea was an overall theme of her collection this season.) The new sole can be added to Wang’s new Converse Chuck 70 collab and is sure to be a conversation starter.
Kenzo
New Kenzo biker boots.
Nigo unveiled a number of men’s shoe silhouettes for Kenzo this season, but the standout was the new Kenzo Biker. Described in the show notes as a futuristic biker boot inspired by motocross, the boot is over the top, but over the top in a good way. The leather style features a silver metal nameplate on the toe and large silver rivet detailing on the calf and instep. A large graphic “Kenzo Paris” logo adorns most of the front of the calf.
MSGM
MSGM fur slip-on mules.
MSGM designer Massimo Giorgetti took fashion fans underground under Milan’s red metro line for his Fall/Winter 2024 runway show. For his footwear line, Giorgetti introduced new Mary Janes in brushed calfskin with lug soles featuring roller buckles and metal buckles with the MSGM logo. But it was the collection’s more comfortable footwear options that stood out above the rest. In fact, the leather-soled faux fur mules are a more wearable relative of Dsquared2’s Sasquatch boots, offering a fluffy, fun style with the feel of a fireside slipper.
Rick Owens
New from Rick Owens: inflated rubber pull-on stretch boots.
Among the shoes that stole the show in Paris were several pairs of Rick Owens’ inflated rubber pull-on stretch boots. Created in collaboration with London designer Straitkai, the style appeared on the runway in black, forest green, eggshell, burgundy and brown animal print colors. While it remains to be seen whether the alien-like shapes will make it into a production run, they could be the American designer’s next hit shoe.
Sakai
A new fur boot style from Sacai.
Sacai designer Chitose Abe explored the idea of uniform attire in her Fall 24 collection, seemingly hinting that the new fur boot could become a wardrobe staple next season. The chunky boot style features a white and brown long-haired fur upper (a black version also appeared on the runway), paired with Abe’s signature exaggerated sole. Only time will tell if the new boot will become part of the men’s uniform this fall.
