All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Footwear News may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Willow Smith just took one of the year’s biggest shoe trends for a punky spin on the red carpet.
The “Psychofreak” musician stepped out on Wednesday night for GQ Australia’s 2023 Men of the Year awards, bringing a dapper edge to the Sydney event with Dior‘s lug-soled loafers. Her $1,150 Dior Boy style featured a ridged platform base with thick black rubber soles, sleekly polished with smooth black leather uppers and logo-tagged penny straps.
Smith’s loafers added a punky finish to her Maria Grazia Chiuri-designed look for the occasion: a black wool and silk suit, featuring Dior’s signature 30 Montaigne bar jacket and matching high-waisted trousers. A gleaming array of the French brand’s layered silver metal necklaces and rings finished the singer’s ensemble with a nonchalant edge.
Loafers like Smith’s have grown in popularity in 2023, thanks to the rise of academic-based aesthetics, ’90s nostalgia and practical dressing. Smooth uppers, preppy details and balanced base allow the style to master all of these elements, as seen on stars including Hailey Bieber, Caroline Vazzana and Irina Shayk. Iterations in an array of colors, heights and materials have been go-to’s for numerous occasions throughout the year, as seen in releases from a range of labels — including G.H. Bass, Frankie4 and Kurt Geiger, among numerous others.
Smith’s approach to styling her shoes also emphasized how loafers are worn today. Though the classic loafer’s lug-soled versions can be traditionally paired with buttoned-up suits or separates, the musician both eschewed and embraced its formal roots by complementing the shoe’s shape with a classic suit — worn sans-blouse with punky jewelry to emphasize her own unique style.
While highlighting individuality, Smith’s Dior moment showed how timeless styles are still treasured today — and can remain open to interpretation for the future.
Boost your next outfit with chunky loafers this winter.
To Buy: Michael Kors Parker loafers, $79 (was $165).
To Buy: Charles & Keith Gabine Pull-Tab loafers, $103.
To Buy: G.H. Bass Whitney Super Lug Weejuns loafers, $185.
To Buy: Frankie4 Saint Black loafers, $248.
About the Author:
Aaron Royce is the Digital Editor for Footwear News, where he writes stories on trending news, celebrity style, collaborations and in-depth profile interviews. Prior to joining Footwear News, Aaron wrote for publications including PAPER, Grazia and the Daily Front Row. He currently holds a B.S. in mass communications from Virginia Commonwealth University.
