Cruelty-free, sustainable fashion designer Stella McCartney makes transparent pumps – in case you didn’t know.
Transparent shoes were identified as one of the biggest fashion trends of the summer, with stars like Rihanna, Kendall Jenner, and Kristen Stewart donning clear heels. And it looks like clear fashion is here to stay; in addition to her existing plastic pumps, McCartney just launched a new vegan polyurethane collection.
The new collection features a handbag (which also comes in grey), mules, and ankle boots. The boots and the mules are made from 70 percent polyurethane, 20 percent polyester, and 10 percent cotton, while the handbag contains 100 percent polyurethane. Everything in the collection is emblazoned with the fashion label’s monogram print. Like McCartney’s transparent pumps, everything is clear, with the exception of bright, white detailing.
Are They Safe for Your Feet?
While trendy, Vogue reports that wearing clear footwear may pose a health problem. “The foot by itself [without a sock] in a shoe, plastic or not, provides a perfect milieu for bacterial and fungal growth. It is moist, dark, and there is heat,” explained Dr. Rock Positano, director of the non-surgical foot and ankle service at the Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC.
But that doesn’t mean you need to avoid clear shoes altogether. The consensus seems to be that it’s fine to wear them for a short period of time – as long as you’re not allergic to the plastic. If you’re going to wear the shoes for an extended period of time, Vogue recommends wearing a pair of colorful socks underneath.
Polyurethane is said to be “superior” to PVC, which is also used to make clear fashion, as it offers the wearer more stretchability and less abrasion, according to Medical Design Briefs.
Stella McCartney in the Spotlight
Beyond the heels, McCartney has released a variety of shoes over the past year. She collaborated with Adidas to create a version of the brand’s iconic Stan Smith shoe made from vegan leather, which caught the attention of Madonna, Dame Emma Thompson, and the tennis legend himself. She also worked with Adidas to launch a 3D-printed vegan shoe, the AlphaEdge.
Her designs are also well-loved by the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, who donned a McCartney gown for her reception and vegan pop star Miley Cyrus, who is frequently spotted wearing McCartney’s cruelty-free designs.
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