The Wildest and Most Covetable Kicks from Paris Fashion Week

In recent years, Euro fashion weeks have felt as much of a showcase for cool sneakers as for clothing, especially when it comes to menswear. Each designer seems to be in a quest to outdo the other, and the one-upmanship has rendered hits and misses in equal measure. One could argue that it was the Balenciaga Triple S that kick-started this madness, and that was all the way back in 2017. How has the State of Shoes changed since then? Well, if Paris Fashion Week is any indicator, some things have changed, others have stayed the same. And most of it is looking wildly stylish.

One of the most head-turning styles came via designer Jonathan Anderson in the form of a blinged-out black mule. The backless leather loafer features two interlocked gold chains in a size that can only be described as comically large. (Expect to see your favorite Soundcloud rapper in a pair of these ASAP.) And while the main focus at Raf Simons' show may have been the showy and graphic-driven hand muffs, I found my eyes gravitating towards the sleek and vaguely sci-fi boots all the models wore. Absent any laces, the Chelsea-like boots stood tall and stiff, glossy as a freshly waxed floor, with shiny silver zippers at the heel and front. Simons committed to the silhouette as the boots were shown in bright cherry red, pristine white, pale turquoise, and midnight black.

Elsewhere, Rick Owens sent Zoolander-esque boots down his runway, with heels high enough to make a Cuban heel feel tame.

And Givenchy's latest men's collection featured several square-toed dress shoes with no shortage of attitude: white leather atop a black sole, marbled red snakeskin, or a classic black leather studded with shiny spikes.

Sneakerheads, fear not, as the fashion runway has not forgotten about you yet. Perhaps one of the most hype-worthy kicks came from Alyx designer and ongoing Nike collaborator Matthew Williams. He took one of the Swoosh's most beloved streetwear silhouettes—the Air Force 1—and tweaked the sneaker with luxurious upgrades like metallic-adorned text and his now-signature "rollercoaster" buckle.

And it wouldn't be fashion week without Virgil Abloh teasing out a new Off-White x Nike sneaker. At his Louis Vuitton's menswear show, the designer revealed his latest take on the beloved Air Force 1: sky blue with a black sole and shimmering Swoosh logo. And just the day before, Abloh had debuted a new Air Jordan 5 at his Off-White presentation, a design comprised of muted grey tones and strategically placed cutouts.

If the past week has told us anything, it's that menswear isn't done with outlandish footwear just yet. As the rigid rules that once dominated men's style are smashed into little pieces by the likes of Harry Styles and Lil Uzi Vert, men want their weird shoes. They want the space-age boots and ostentatious loafers and designer co-signed sneakers. And based on what we've seen on the runway this week, the designers are more than happy to give it to them.

Originally Appeared on GQ