A Platform-Shoe Renaissance Is About to Happen, and I'm Here for it

As we look ahead to the future of fashion, the S/S 21 couture and F/W 21 runways are predicting some major trends that are about to unfold. Many of them, such as party fashion and saturated shades, are a step away from comfort dressing and really bringing on the fun. Another item to add to your future shopping list? Platform shoes.

Spotted in the collections of designers including Versace, Valentino, and Erdem (to name a few), platforms are really taking hold as a key trend for the coming year, with everything from tall, strappy heels to flatform-style shoes in the mix. Fashion insiders are already early adopters, adding approachable puffy slides, ski-high heels, and more iterations to their latest outfits. Ahead, see the coolest versions from the runways and the Instagram fashion scene to inspire your future shoe wardrobe.

On the Runway

Between the S/S 21 couture and the F/W 21 collections, it's impossible to ignore the rising platform-shoe trend. A departure from the practical house shoes that have ruled the fashion scene over the last year, this trend marks a return to fun in fashion, which this editor is very ready for.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Valentino)

Pictured: Valentino S/S 21 couture

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Schiaparelli)

Pictured: Schiaparelli F/W 21

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Versace)

Pictured: Versace F/W 21

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Melitta Baumeister)

Pictured: Melitta Baumeister F/W 21

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Erdem)

Pictured: Erdem F/W 21

On the Fashion Set

We can always rely on fashion insiders to be early adopters of the coolest future trends, and that certainly includes the platform shoes that are about to be everywhere. If you're ready to add them to your shoe collection, look for styles like platform flip-flops, slides, strappy sandals, and sky-high heels.

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(Image credit: @aminamuaddi)

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(Image credit: @haileybieber)

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(Image credit: @fionazanetti)

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(Image credit: @tylynnnguyen)

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(Image credit: @giuliatordini)

Next, six fine-jewelry trends that have reached cult status among fashion insiders.

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Associate Director, Special Projects

Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.