For years, heels were part of the uniform. From morning meetings to evening dinners, high heels signaled professionalism, authority, and femininity. However, after Covid, the rhythm of everyday life softened: people started prioritising comfort over performance. Today, dressing up is no longer a daily requirement: loafers pushed the stiletto out of the office and ballet flats slowly replaced pumps. Strangely, wearing stilettos to work now can feel like doing too much; it might seem excessive, even slightly out of place in some workspaces. With this being said, does the stiletto still matter?
In the past years, loafers have upgraded from classic staple to fashion must-have. What was once considered conservative, and kind of grandmotherly, has become the defining shoe of the post-pandemic wardrobe. Big brands have seen this affect their sales. For example, Tod’s, which is best known for high quality Italian leather shoes, especially its iconic Gommino loafer, has seen a strong increase in sales, with group revenues rising about 11.9% in 2023 to €1.13 billion. Gucci’s iconic loafers have remained a consistent customer favourite. Almost every major house, from Saint Laurent to Prada, has released or reworked its own loafer silhouette in recent seasons, while Loro Piana gained wider visibility through its “Summer Walk” loafers in the early 2020s.
If loafers took over as the new power shoe, ballet flats became their gentler version, and Chanel really understood that shift. For decades, the Chanel pump was the shoe people associated most with the house. Yet over the past year, it was the brand’s ballet flats, especially the classic cap-toe versions, that dominated both runways and street style. Once associated with school uniforms, the ballet flat has returned as a symbol of effortlessness. Editors, influencers, and celebrities paired them with tailoring, denim, and even evening dresses, proving that elegance no longer required a heel.
On the other hand, Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo were once the “it” shoes of the early 2000s. Long before comfort became a priority, these heels were everywhere, and most memorably on Sex and the City, where Carrie Bradshaw treated her shoes as essentials. In many ways, stilettos constructed her persona. Carrie didn’t just buy them; she prioritized them. In one of the most quoted lines of the series, she says, “I spent $40,000 on shoes and I have no place to live,” showcasing an entire mindset, framing footwear not as practicality but as passion. That attitude reflected the spirit of the early 2000s, where putting visible effort into how you looked was something to be proud of.
At its peak, Jimmy Choo stood for extravagance and effort, but as luxury trends shifted after the pandemic, so did the brand’s fortunes. Now owned by Capri Holdings, Jimmy Choo operates in a luxury market that has slowed since the post-pandemic rebound. Growth across the sector has been uneven. Rather than relying only on high stilettos, the brand has expanded further into flats, sneakers, and accessories, reflecting changing demand.
In my opinion, stilettos should come back, not as a requirement, but as a choice. There is something undeniably feminine and empowering about wearing heels. They change the way you stand, the way you walk, even the way you carry yourself. Heels should not return as part of a forced work uniform, but as an option women genuinely want to wear. Historically, periods of restraint are often followed by moments of excess. After years shaped by uncertainty, remote work, and economic pressure, I think people are going to want to feel bold and ambitious again. If a new economic expansion or cultural “golden age” emerges, glamour may rise with it. The stiletto doesn’t need to dominate the office the way it once did, but it shouldn’t disappear either, because sometimes power still feels better a few inches higher.
By Stephanie Nassif
Sources:
https://www.whowhatwear.com/gucci-loafers?utm_
https://www.vogue.com/article/tods-group-reports-improved-profitability-ahead-of-delisting?utm_
