THE FOOTWEAR REPORT

As if it never happened, summer is in the rearview mirror. Long, warm evenings have been immediately replaced by knitwear and jackets; we couldn't be happier. If you ask us, summer gets too much attention. Autumn is the best season of the year and we're treating it with the respect it deserves. Making the most of the next few months relies almost entirely on what your wardrobe has in it, so we're introducing The Fall Report. Each week, we're hitting a different pillar of the autumn wardrobe and picking it apart bit by bit until all that remains is what matters: the actual brands and products you should know.

This week, footwear. If you think you can just waltz into autumn and winter with the same ballet flats you’ve been wearing all summer, you’re in for a nasty surprise. Life’s never that easy. Autumn is just about impossible to navigate if you let the weather dictate what you do, so securing the right pair of shoes means you can ignore the weather and do it anyway. Keep scrolling to shop the footwear you need in your rotation for autumn.

Boots

Recent seasons have seen boots edging more and more into the spotlight as sneakers take up less room in our rotations. The longevity promised by a good pair of boots is hard to argue with, but when you combine that with the styles we’re seeing this season that look as good with a skirt and a pair of tailored trousers, you’ve got all the boxes ticked. Whether it’s the bold silhouettes of Miista or the ever-popular understatement of the Our Legacy Camion, this autumn is a good time to open your boots account.

Outdoor Footwear

If the more formal and style-forward boots don’t feel right for your rotation, consider something more utility-driven. For that, outdoor footwear is the best place to look. Hiking boots still offer the leather and suede uppers that more classic boots do, but with features like alpine lacing (all the way to the toe) and commando sole units, they have a more rugged finish. Another option is to explore the world of approach shoes for a sneaker-leaning option. Designed to get climbers all the way up to the rock face but not onto it, the approach shoe is built for tough terrain but is much lighter than a hiking boot.

Lace Ups

The meteoric rise of leather shoes over the last five years has signaled the waning power of sneakers. The versatility of the category makes it as relevant for everyday use as it does for special events. Paraboot is a focal point here, with its Michael Derby an ideal daily driver for autumn’s bad weather. If derby shoes aren’t your thing, consider a boat shoe for an equally versatile rotation centrepoint.

Lo Pro Sneakers

When we look back at the year 2026, we may well recall the fact that the overarching trend in footwear as a whole was that everything slimmed down. Sole units became barely there, uppers were reduced to their essential aspects, and laces became a central styling point. No designers encapsulate this trend better than Simone Rocha this season, whose Ballerina Grip Sneakers feature three sets of ribbon laces to echo the sheen of a satin upper.