7 Shoe Trends That Will Define New York Fashion Week Street Style

There are two crucial elements I consider when picking an outfit for New York Fashion Week: Impact—the six-day event is an industry meet-up of editors, stylists, and buyers, so there’s always an instinct to impress—and functionality. In particular, the latter is critical with the shoes of a fashion week ‘fit; Never again do I want to experience being at my first runway of the day, but already having three blisters and a tweaked hamstring because my trendy but way too tall heels couldn’t handle the walk from the D train to the venue doors.

I’m not alone in prioritizing shoes that offer style and service. To borrow words from fashion director Sara Holzman’s recent Self Checkout about her favorite fashion week shoe formulas, she only wants “pairs that can actually withstand the realities of New York—the subway sprint, the cobblestones of the West Village, and twelve-hour days that stretch from early show times to late dinners.”