Nude Shoes to Suit Every Skin Tone
WORDS BY FLORENCE TROTT
From power pumps to sandals, these are the designers that specialise in skin toned shoes.
IMAGE COURTESY OF CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
Good nude shoes are wardrobe dynamite. A nude shoe that works with your skin tone will go with everything, always look elegant, and gives the illusion of a longer leg. They are, quite frankly, magical. But, just like size, one shade doesn’t fit all. Until only a few years ago, fashion’s ongoing diversity problem meant that ‘nude’ shoes came in pretty much just one shade – a pale-pinky-beige colour that suited a very limited number of white women. Thankfully, things have begun to change, and more and more established and emerging designers are catering for every skin tone with collections of nude shoes in multiple shades. Here are our favourite designers getting nude shoes right for women of every colour.
CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN PLATFORMS COME IN 8 TONES. IMAGE COURTESY OF MYTHERESA.
CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
Since launching in 2013, Christian Louboutin’s line of red-soled nude shoes has been ‘designed for everyone’. A shoe-shaped ode to inclusivity, it’s a collection close to Louboutin’s heart. The range has now been expanded to include eight shades of sandals, flats and signature styles, and last month made an exclusive debut on MyTheresa. The extension of The Nudes Collection is designed for both men and women and ranges from platform sandals to silk sneakers.
EXPLORE THE WHOLE RANGE OF ‘THE NUDES’ BY CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN, HERE.
SHOP LOUBOUTIN ‘THE NUDES’ COLLECTION
SALONE MONET
New York designer Salone Monet is on a mission to compliment every skin tone with her shoes, stating that ‘nude is not a colour’. She specialises in two styles that are available in six shades, all crafted from satin and made in Italy . The in-demand Sable sandals have been worn court-side at an NBA game by Beyoncé (that time with the famous side-eye). We can’t get enough of her elegant and timeless footwear staples. A celebration of inclusive luxury fashion, few other (if any) designers have created satin shoes in so many shades.
SALONE MONET ‘SABLE’ SANDALS, CRAFTED IN SATIN. IMAGE COURTESY OF @SALONEMONET
THE ‘BECKY’ PUMPS COMES IN FOUR HEIGHTS AND 10 TEN SHADES. IMAGE COURTESY OF @KAHMUNE
KAHMUNE
British luxury brand Kahmune believes in ‘nude shoes for all’ and is vocal about their belief in diversity, representation and inclusivity. The label’s founder, Ghanaian-American Jamela Acheampong, and her team have scoured the globe to create a selection of 10 shades that cater to most complexions. When you’ve found your desired tone, you have a whole variety of styles and finishes to choose from – be that leather pumps or suede mule sliders. We love to walk around in the nude (not that sort) of their 110mm Becky pump – guaranteed to be one of the hardest working items in your wardrobe.
DISCOVER KAHMUNE’S RANGE OF NUDE SHOES, HERE.
BROTHER VELLIES
Brother Vellies’ designer Aurora James is leading the charge for a more diverse fashion industry with her 15% pledge. This year, she launched The Nudes – a collection of highly-coveted, high-fashion shoes available in eight shades of ‘nude’. Now a permanent fixture of the Brother Vellies offering, the shoes (ranging from pointed-toe pumps, to barely-there sandals, dolly shoes and feather-trimmed heels) are named after the famous women that have inspired her and her team: Grace Jones, Maya Angelou, and Frida Kahlo to name a few.
IMAGE COURTESY OF @BROTHERVELLIES
REBECCA ALLEN SPECIALISES IN THREE KEY STYLES IN FIVE DIFFERENT TONES. IMAGE COURTESY OF @REBECCAALLENNY
REBECCA ALLEN
Frustrated by the lack of nude shoe options for black women and other POC, Rebecca Allen launched her namesake label a few years back from her home in New York. A graduate of Colombia Business School, in a previous life Allen worked in finance, and remains a vocal and articulate advocate for black women in every industry. Expect sleek, sophisticated shoes in five shades of ‘nude’, from an office-appropriate almond-toe pump to a sexy little two-strap high-heel sandal.
JENEBA BARRIE
African-born and American-raised, Jeneba Barrie has said that ‘diversity is the bedrock principle of our brand’. A designer that prides herself on inclusivity and representation, Barrie’s debut collection of shoes has featured in Vogue and Forbes already. In a bid to revolutionise the meaning of the word ‘nude’, her pumps come in 13 shades (which has to be the record so far) and range from size US4 to 13, including half sizes. From Cacao to Cognac and Truffle to Champagne, we’re looking forward to seeing more styles from Barrie soon. Watch this space.
EXPLORE JENEBA BARRIE’S WIDE RANGE OF SKIN TONED SHOES, HERE.
PRACTICAL AND BEAUTIFUL, JENEBA BARRIE’S PUMPS COME IN 13 SHADES. IMAGE COURTESY OF @JENEBA_BARRIE
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