Trend spotlight: Are wedge heels the shoe of the season?
For years, wedge heels have taken a backseat – often associated with Noughties holiday wardrobes or summer weddings.
This season, however, they’ve stepped back into the trend scene, thanks to recent runways like Victoria Beckham, Chloé and Isabel Marant, who has revived its infamous Bekett wedge sneaker.
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While designers have offered a twist on the classic wedge – such as cut-outs or textural finishes – the heel hasn’t lost its wearability in making height comfortable.
According to Marks & Spencer’s Head of Womenswear Design Lisa Illis, the comeback is part of the wider trend towards nostalgic dressing.
“Many current trends are all about throwback appeal,” she explains, “although their history begins in the Thirties, wedge heels are closely associated with bold Y2K fashion.”
Early-2000s style is one of the biggest decades to return to the trend cycle this season, alongside reinterpretations of the Nineties.
Style icons such as Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and the boho-aesthetic of actress Sienna Miller helped cement wedges as a defining shoe of the era.
While the wedge itself hasn’t changed dramatically, the way it’s being designed has.
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“I’m enjoying seeing the classic silhouette reimagined with unexpected [and] fresh touches such as animal prints, metallics, suede and buckle detailing,” says Illis.
Where early-2000s wedges were often dominated by rope soles and overtly casual espadrille styles, today’s versions feel more elevated, with a noticeable shift towards cleaner lines and richer textures.
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“We’ve moved away from the espadrille wedge of the early 2000s to something more sophisticated.”
That doesn’t mean the style has lost its versatility, however, as Illis says, “I’m loving seeing wedges on heeled fashion flip-flops […] it elevates the beach-friendly thong sandal silhouette into a new realm of stylishness.”
Having a wedge doesn’t mean it has to have the sky-high height it once did in the 2000s – small wedged heels are trending alongside kitten heels this season, meaning wearers can add height without sacrificing comfort.
Ultimately, the wedge heel’s revival reflects a broader shift towards comfort-led, versatile design. With elevated finishes and modern proportions, it is evolving from a nostalgic trend into a commercially relevant staple for today’s consumer.
