After seasons of sky-scraping footwear from designers like Nina Ricci and Alexander McQueen, this spring season offers the ladies a little relief.  No more shaky ankles and contortion acts -- just classic elegance.  From Chanel to Louis Vuitton, there’s a decidedly clear emphasis on working with the female form, not against it.

After six decades in the fashion industry, Karl Lagerfeld didn’t fail to deliver -- he didn’t just dig below the surface, he dove in.  Silver and cream leather booties with oceanic-inspired embellishments -- and sandal variations, too -- are at the forefront for Chanel this spring season.   Meanwhile, Miuccia Prada sent models strutting down the runway in colorful round-toe and peep-toe pumps and sandals adorned with flared trim and wings -- a very obvious, yet innovative nod to the 1950s zeitgeist. For the Manhattan girl who only dreams of having her own tail-lights, Prada’s footwear will be the perfect substitute, and considerably less expensive, too.

Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton, on the other hand, reintroduced the mule, which has largely been absent for the last several seasons.  With metallic embellishments, strong lines, pointy toes and thicker heels, these may very well be next season’s most accessible and practical design.  Sodalite blue, cockatoo green, and lilac are amongst the sweet spring colors that typify the spring footwear offerings.  For the sophisticated woman looking for a little reflective panache, Louis Vuitton will certainly satisfy that craving.

LIke Jacobs, 3.1 Phillip Lim’s catwalk was equally reflective, albeit a bit more austere -- silver peep-toe pumps with chunky heels, embellished with plastic straps or black leather, and futuristic flat sandals of the same flavor lead the way for the footwear collection.  The simplicity of the construction is yet another testament to the overwhelming vibe of minimalism for this spring. 

Even Sarah Burton's designs are decidedly less hazardous, marking a true departure from the epic footwear of Alexander McQueen's spring 2010 collection.  While Burton has maintained the flavor of the McQueen brand, she’s clearly taking it into a new, more accessible direction.  The collection’s delights include dynamic-wedge platforms with silk and lace embellishments and a complicated network of straps in lilac -- a delicate, yet sophisticated look that is both fresh and undeniably innovative.

 ~Topher Scott

Photos courtesy of Elle.com/ Matteo Volta