Designer Shoes, Boots & Sneakers

Sneakers, loafers, dress shoes, boots, heels

• Low-top sneakers: Prada leather trainers, Gucci Ace, Rhyton and Ultrapace R, and runners like the New Balance x Aimé Leon Dore 993.
• Slip-ons: Prada Milano metal-logo loafers, Gucci penny loafers and a tasseled Louis Vuitton driver.
• Dress shoes: lace-ups from Santoni, Louis Vuitton and Gucci under Tom Ford.
• Boots: lug-soled hiking boots, Chelsea boots and a Kiton double monk.
• Heels: Prada pumps, platforms and a peep-toe wedge, and Galliano-era Dior pumps in Oblique canvas.

Women’s pairs are fewer: Prada and Dior heels, Santoni hiking boots, a studded Prada brogue and Brunello Cucinelli Molini loafers, with open-toe styles under Sandals.

How each material wears

• Smooth leather: fold lines where the foot bends are expected; cracks in the grain or a heel counter crushed flat are not.
• Patent leather: the coating can crack along deep creases, and scratches in it do not polish out, so zoom in on pairs such as the Prada slingback wedge.
• Textile and mesh: on pairs like the denim Gucci Ace, check the toes and collars for marks and fraying.
• Leather soles: a worn-away stitch line on the outsole means a resole is due. Rubber heel inserts, as on the Prada Milano jodhpur boots, wear first and are a quick cobbler fix.
• Inside: look for a legible insole stamp and a heel lining that has not rubbed through.

FAQ

What if a listing shows only one size number?

EU sizing is the norm, often with US and sometimes UK alongside, half sizes included. For pairs with a single number, message us and we can check the markings inside the shoe.

Are most of the shoes made in Italy?

Nearly all the Prada, Gucci, Santoni and Louis Vuitton pairs are. Some Sandro pairs were made in Portugal, the New Balance 993s in the USA.

Do any pairs come with a box or dust bags?

A few: the Louis Vuitton Baikal has its original box, the women’s Santoni hiking boots their dust bags; any extras are named in the listing.