Margaret Qualley stepped onto the red carpet at the London premiere of her film “Dog Stars” wearing a head-to-toe Chanel ensemble that included the fashion house’s controversial “barefoot cap heel” flats. The unique footwear, which covers only the wearer’s heels, leaves the arch, ball, and toes exposed.
These avant-garde shoes were first presented on the Chanel cruise 2026/2027 runway, where they garnered significant attention and debate. The New York Times described the style as representing “irrational, nonsensical luxury” and a “metaphysical paradox,” while Vogue characterized the footwear as “freaky” and Elle dubbed the concept “flat-out subversive.”
Chanel’s designer Matthieu Blazy stated that the intention behind the shoes, shown in several colorways, was to evoke the feeling of a woman emerging from the sea, with the shoes intended to appear almost like jewelry. The runway presentation, staged in Biarritz, featured models walking on a carpeted surface designed to resemble a sandy beach.
Qualley paired the striking shoes with a fringed black Chanel gown, stud earrings, and a ring. Her co-star in “Dog Stars,” Jacob Elordi, opted for a more traditional look, wearing a pinstriped Bottega Veneta suit and black dress shoes.
The public and fashion critics are now questioning the practicality of the “naked” shoes for everyday wear, especially following their debut on a real-world red carpet. It remains to be seen whether Chanel will put these polarizing shoes into mass production, with pieces from the collection slated to arrive in boutiques in November.
"Dog Stars" is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a man, played by Elordi, survives with his dog after a flu pandemic decimates the population.