Shoe sense and sensibility in 2025

A nostalgia for childhood makes Mary Janes perennial, especially with our American colonial roots that brought to our shores the shoe named after the character in the 1902 comic strip Buster Brown. No surprise then that it’s a staple among Filipino design studios and shoe manufacturers creating all possible variations, from flats to wedges, rounded to pointy or even split-toed.

Slingbacks

Slingbacks are another classic but updated with eye-catching heels and accents like jewels and bows. Sometimes, the bows come tied up at the back and with Filipino studios like Juanita, their slings meld with the tropical-friendly thong.

Peep-toe

The provocative look from the 1940s is revisited today simply because it’s pure retro fun. There are contemporary takes so that they don’t look too costumey—from Tory Burch’s barely-there cutouts to Khaite’s round-toe glove pumps sliced right down the middle for just a hint of skin.

Kitten heels

Originally made as “trainer heels” for the young girls who were not deemed old enough to wear sky-high stilettos, their youthful appeal, not to mention comfort, has made kittens popular for all seasons. For our tropical weather, they come in slingbacks, mules and sandals.

Back to school

Collegiate outfits in fashion echo in footwear, from loafers to brogues, block-heeled or in platforms. Local versions, of course, even have them as mules for comfort and ease.

Transparent

Cinderella and her glass slipper may have something to do with the transparent trend, but the shoes on offer are all grown up, with lucite heels and netted uppers. The locally made versions of Tutum Shop come as ballet flats and pointy slingbacks.

Thongs

Flip-flops find their home on beaches all over our 7,107 islands, but they have been elevated this season with luxurious materials and come heeled for urban flair that make them cocktail-ready.

Pointy

After square and almond toes dominating for a few years, pointed toes were on top in 2024 and are still desirable this year, with every major house showing the sharpest pieces. Our shoe designers have also kept up with the trend, with even Mary Janes like those of Marquina pointing the way forward.

Rounded

You don’t have to always be on point, though, because rounded styles are also making a comeback, heeled at Tory Burch and Alaïa and flat at COS and Juanita Studios.

Laced up

The ballerina lives on with tied-up laces, but many, unlike the flat inspiration, are all heeled up and even come in sandal hybrids at Ferragamo and our very own Palengke.

Clogged

Clogs are no stranger to us with our home-grown bakya still being made in modern, reimagined pieces. They’re right on trend with fashion’s return to the ’70s, taking over the Paris runways at Hermès and Chloe.

Twisted

Feminine pumps take on twisted, sinister iterations for a bit of mystery and imagination: Feathered at Ferragamo and winged at Prada, both befitting a Disney villain’s wardrobe.