Michael Rider’s debut collection for Celine, shown last summer in Paris, was a joyful ode to the magic of everyday clothing. ‘[Pieces] that become a part of the wearer’s life, that may capture a moment in time but also speak to years and years of gestures and occasions and change of the past, the present and the future, of memories, of usefulness and of fantasy, of life really,’ said the Washington DC-born designer, who marries a preppy flair – Rider was at Polo Ralph Lauren before being appointed at Celine – with the bourgeois stylings for which the Parisian house is known.
A pair of leather shoes, evoking the soft, supple and ultra-flat construction of jazz shoes, seemed to capture this dichotomy of fantasy and reality: they conjured at once the undone glamour of the rehearsal room, and something more quotidien, like the simple childhood plimsolls you once wore to school. Since then, iterations have come in vivid red, yellow, and white, alongside mock croc embossed leather and soft suede – as well as a pre-scuffed pair that appeared as part of Rider’s first dedicated menswear show this June in Paris.
The best jazz, dance and ballet-inspired shoes
A pair of Celine’s lace-up ‘Ballet’ shoes at Michael Rider’s debut show (Spring 2026) last July
Though Rider is not the only designer to have embraced the style, which captures a feeling of levity – after all, jazz and ballet shoes were originally designed for leaping and pirouetting across the stage. Versions have also appeared at Loewe, Proenza Schouler, Gucci and Miu Miu, while Repetto – which began life as a ballet shoe manufacturer in 1947 – has had something of a resurgence, particularly the ‘Zizi’, a soft leather lace-up which was beloved by Mick Jagger and Jane Birkin in the 1970s.
Here, selected by the Wallpaper* style team, are nine dance, jazz and ballet-inspired shoes to uplift your wardrobe this summer.
Repetto began life as a ballet shoe company in 1947, rising to renown after creating its signature ‘Cendrillon’ flat for Brigitte Bardot a decade or so later. Since then, its styles have been adopted by names in fashion, film and music – memorably, Mick Jagger and Jane Birkin, who made the jazz-inspired ‘Zizi’ (above) into the 1970s’ shoe du jour.
These leather ‘sneakers’ from Spanish house Loewe – now under the creative directorship of American designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez – evoke the traditional jazz shoe in their ultra-soft construction and supple sole. They are completed with a metal ‘Pebble’ on the lace, featuring the house’s signature ‘Anagram’ motif.
Michael Rider is perhaps responsible for the proliferation of soft, flat derby shoes, featuring them as part of his debut runway show for Celine last summer (iterations of the ‘Ballet Lace-Up’ have featured in the American designer’s collections since). Available in embossed mock croc, optic white, or signal red, emblazoned with the Celine monogram, our favourites are this pair in warm suede calfskin.
The ballet flat has become ubiquitous in recent seasons, and its appeal shows little sign of abating. This pair by avant-garde label MM6 Maison Margiela offers a signature contemporary twist, not only in the addition of an elastic band featuring the brand’s numeric tag (created by founder Martin Margiela, it categorises each garment into the maison’s various numbered lines) and an intriguingly shaped toe, recalling the contours of Margiela’s signature ‘Tabi’ shoe.
These soft nappa leather flats from Proenza Schouler are called the ‘Glove’, named so for the way they fit neatly onto the foot. Unlike the other lace-ups on this list, they are crafted without a tongue, giving them a feeling of lightness that makes them an alternative to sandals on summer’s warmest days.
Titled the ‘Prima’, Demna’s version of the dance shoe at Gucci sees the Georgian creative director meld the Italian house’s signature horsebit loafer – originally created in 1953 by Aldo Gucci – with a ballet flat. The result is the type of intriguing hybrid for which Demna is known.
Scandinavian label Arket is known for its well-designed, high-quality – but accessible – collections, which often incorporate the prevailing trends of the day. Case in point, these lace-ups, crafted from ultra-soft leather with a flexible sole, evoking those found on jazz and dance shoes.
Miu Miu arguably brought back the ballet flat with its A/W 2022 collection, which featured the style updated with a Miu Miu-branded elastic strap. Since, the house has offered variations on the style, including these ‘Plume’ satin sneakers, a low-top style in light pink satin – a fabric long associated with the dancer’s studio.