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The world of dance has leapt long in fashion’s collective imagination—but the reign of the ballet flat may, finally, be twirling off. Derby shoes have entered, stage left.
From the the 2010s it-girl wardrobe, as shown by the likes of Alexa Chung and Kate Moss, to the more recent runways of Ferragamo, JW Anderson and, of course, Simone Rocha, the ballet flat has had a good run. After a brief fall from grace (during the dark days of chunky Fila sneakers, Y2K Buffalos, and other such ankle-breaking styles), the ballet flat pirouetted back into our wardrobes in a big way last year: ballet sneakers, ballet loafers, and ballet heels had us all gunning for our own Black Swan moment. Quietly leading the (not so quiet) ballet flat revival was French It-girl brand Repetto, whose styles have been adopted by new-gen fashion girls like Lily-Rose Depp and Kaia Gerber.
But prior to ballet flats being associated with any kind of -core, Repetto had a more unlikely mascot: Serge Gainsbourg. In the 1970s, the Frenchman swore by the brand’s Zizi style, a soft jazz shoe that was named for dancer Zizi Jeanmaire, daughter-in-law of brand founder Rose Repetto. Today, you can go to Maison Gainsbourg, a Paris museum dedicated to the late singer, and see a pair of his well-worn, well-loved Repettos. The shoes were originally bought for him by partner Jane Birkin, because she was worried about his “delicate” ankles.
These shoes recall the classic Derby shoe silhouette, one you definitely must take note of for the approach of spring and summer.
It’s a style with queried origins that traverse Europe: Some historians say the design can be linked to Edward Smith-Stanley, who was the 14th Earl of Derby; his bootmaker was tasked with creating an elegant but hardy shoe. Others connect it to Russian army officer Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher who required shoes fit for the battlefield. The footwear style has also been known by the names Blucher, Gibson, and Lorne. It actually became a popular sporting and hunting shoe in the 1850s, and by the turn of the 20th century, the Derby had become appropriate for wear about town in everyday life. While they share a shape and much of the same sensibilities, Gainsbourg’s shoe of choice is much more soft, glove-like, and free-flowing than those that stomped the British East Midlands.
Derby shoes, then—specifically the slim and supple kind—are very much on the comeback. Jacquemus led the charge with its spring 2024 collaboration with Repetto, while Lemaire quietly adopted the lace-up style in tandem. Derby shoes then popped up at Celine, where Michael Rider’s French take on American prep quickly emerged as a new trend. (See also: Jonathan Anderson’s Dior debut). As well as Repetto, you can look to designer Emma François’ label Sessùn for a chic and soft take on the derbies, called the “Astaire” (after the iconic American dancer, Fred, of course) in sleek naplak patent leather.
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