Seen on the catwalks at Prada, Loewe and Louis Vuitton: the barefoot shoe. Or a shoe with such a thin sole that your foot is almost one with the street. But don’t our feet need a thick sole and good support? Podiatrist Paul Borgions and foot nurse Els Snoeck provide advice. “A good barefoot shoe has a zero drop.”
From ballerinas and semi-closed slippers to loafers and boat shoes with wafer-thin soles. Grotesque statement shoes and chunky boots are now making way for elegant and more minimalist designs. Enter: the barefoot shoe. A trend from the sports world that is now continuing on the fashion stage.
Even when it comes to sneakers, today we reach for a shoe with a thin sole. Just think of the revival of the Samba and Gazelle models from sports brand Adidas. “It’s a kind of counter-movement to the shoes with chunky soles that we saw in recent seasons,” says our fashion editor David Devriendt.
In British designer Jonathan Anderson’s latest collection for Loewe we saw shoes that could almost serve as slippers. At Simone Rocha, Louis Vuitton and the Parisian brand Lamaire you could mainly spot flat ballerinas and slip-ons on the feet of the models. Prada opted for loafers with filter-thin soles. Bottega Veneta came up with the Domenica boot, which is more of a sock than anything else.
The barefoot shoes from Loewe’s spring 2024 collection. © Victor Virgile/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
A good barefoot shoe has four properties
“Barefoot shoes are shoes that give you the feeling of walking barefoot,” says foot nurse Els Snoeck. “We call these minimalist shoes, but they are also referred to as functional footwear. From an early age we are taught the bad habit of locking our feet in narrow, pointy shoes. This leads, among other things, to deformity of our feet and toes.”
She herself is an advocate of such ‘barefoot’ shoes. However, not every model of this popular shoe is good for your foot. The foot nurse goes over a number of important qualities. “A good barefoot shoe is first and foremost the widest at the toes. Healthy shoes are shaped according to the foot (and do not deform the foot according to the shoe). This wide shape ensures that the toes can spread naturally. This promotes blood circulation in your feet, ensures good nerve function and gives you a solid foundation for good balance and strong foot muscles.”
From left to right Sock shoe from Bottega Veneta from the winter 2024 collection, pointed loafers from Louis Vuitton and ballerinas with a flat sole from Simone Rocha. © Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
“Such a shoe must certainly have a zero drop, in other words: the ball of the foot and the heel are at the same height,” the expert continues. “This feature promotes proper alignment of your body, from your heels down your spine to your skull. A completely flat heel distributes body weight evenly without straining the toes, ankles, knees or back.”
A thin, flexible sole is also a must. “This sole allows you and your feet to respond smoothly and balanced to the ground. A thin, flexible sole works with (and not against) the foot muscles, strengthening the arch.” Finally, a barefoot shoe is also best as flat as possible at the toes (no toe spring). “This causes the toes to lie flat relative to the ball of the foot. The correct position of the toes promotes balance, stability and resistance to injuries.”
Foot nurse Els Snoeck and podiatrist Paul Borgions. © rr / rv
You have to pay attention to this, experts say
Please note that these shoes are therefore not suitable for everyone, the foot nurse emphasizes. “Such footwear is an absolute no-go for people with diabetes. They can often suffer from neuropathy and should wear footwear that provides sufficient support. If you step on a pebble with barefoot shoes, you can feel it. That can cause a wound on the foot. People with neuropathy do not feel this, which can be dangerous. If you have any problems, it is always best to consult a doctor,” says Snoeck.
Lentecollecties 2024 Prada (links) en Bottega Veneta (rechts). © Getty Images/Pietro D’Aprano/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Podiatrist Paul Borgions makes another major comment. “If you’re used to wearing sneakers with a thick sole or heels, switching overnight to shoes with a wafer-thin sole may not be a good idea,” he says. “You can eventually experience problems in your shins, knee, hip and even back, because you suddenly make longer or faster movements with your feet than you are used to. So you have to make the transition to such shoes wisely. You cannot run a marathon overnight.”
The experts are also less fans of ballerinas or minimalist shoes with a narrow toe, whether square or triangular. “A shoe with a taper on your toes will compress them. That is not optimal,” says foot nurse Snoeck.
The most important thing is that you respect the shape of your foot, the podiatrist adds. “Compare it to when you buy a bra cup size that is too large or too small for the size of your bosom. If the shoes do not fit properly, you may experience pressure or friction on your feet, resulting in calluses and blisters. In extreme cases and when wearing such shoes for a long time, your toes can even start to deform,” warns Borgions.
Katie Holmes (left), Sam Smith (center) and Jennifer Lopez (right) in barefoot shoes. © Getty Images
If you want to try such footwear, it is also best to use toe stockings, Snoeck advises. “Classic stockings push your toes together. Thanks to stockings, your toes retain their freedom and can still spread.”
“Also try ‘Correct Toes’, these are soft silicone toe spreaders that you wear during the day. These were originally invented as a non-operative treatment for Hallux Valgus (crooked big toe). The ‘Correct Toes’ will spread your toes and ensure that crooked toes can gradually straighten out.”
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2024-02-20 08:30:00
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