In keeping with our newly-adopted lifestyles, the AW21 catwalks saw pair after pair of chunky soles and walking boots stomping down the runway, but there was plenty of fun, party trends to see in the new season too, including metallic knee-high boots and platform heels.

While it’s always absolutely freezing in winter, it’s also party season and if all goes well, Christmas and New Year this year will offer us the perfect opportunity to get dressed up again. Hello, heels!

In a bid to find out which trends would translate to the high street next season, I spoke to Agnès Cushnie, co-founder of footwear brand SANTE + WADE, to find out more.

“The trends are a mix of statement and comfort this season,” Agnès told me. “It’s a bit like saying, ‘Okay, let’s party like it’s 1999 again, except this time we may not want to have to walk barefoot in the middle of the night.’

“As we are gradually returning to normality, people want to celebrate life and there will be a return of the statement pieces making the wardrobe.

“The difference is that, having spent so much time wearing cozy clothes for most of the last two years, many of us won’t want to sacrifice comfort for style, so new trends will emerge and may offer a more balanced aesthetic between creativity and comfort.”

Sounds good to us!

“Specifically for footwear, we’ve seen lots of functional boots and elevated yet practical chunky heels,” she adds.

“In keeping up with comfort, we’ll see a focus on fluid silhouettes.”

yves saint laurent aw21 — Yves Saint Laurent AW21

Agnès informed me of the key trends and details to look out for this autumn, so I’m passing on her intel here.

Ue this to guide what you wear this winter, but don’t feel the pressure to buy brand new.

If you do want to invest and you’re conscious of how your choices will affect our planet, I recommend checking out our guide to sustainable footwear.

Meanwhile if you struggle to find trending styles that fit, look no further than SANTE + WADE, a Black-owned brand that offers footwear from EU size 38/UK 5 to EU 46/UK 11.5.

Without further ado, here are 8 footwear trends we’re about to see a lot more of.

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Chunky Loafers

As seen at 3.1 Phillip Lim, Dior, Loewe, Cecilie Bhansen, Max Mara and more.

Chunky loafers have been one of fashion’s favourite shoes for some time now, with Prada and Chanel amongst the most popular.

They’re going no where it seems, as Dior, Loewe, 3.1 Phillip Lim and many more designers championed them again in their AW21 catwalk shows.

Agnès identifies chains and gold hardware as key features of the trend, as well as patent leather.

ASOS DESIGN Mimi square toe loafers in black croc | ASOS

Square Toe Loafers, £30, ASOS DESIGN – buy now

LEATHER CRYSTAL EMBELLISHED LOAFERS Ganni

Crystal Embellished Loafers, £295, GANNI – buy now

Logo-plaque Ridged-sole Loafers, £809, Prada at Farfetch – buy now

Metallics

As seen at Balmain, Stella McCartney, Jil Sander, Schiaparelli, Isabel Marant, J.W. Anderson, Moschino, Victoria Beckham and more.

Whether it’s your disco heels or knee-high boots, metallics are a favourite for your footwear this season.

It was one of the most prominent shoe trends of the shows, as seen at Balmain, Jil Sander, Moschino, Stella McCartney and many more.

Agnès says, “For all those who had to scale down on key celebratory moments like weddings and Christmas, this is the time to reclaim the right to have fun and celebrate togetherness.

“With fashion and footwear in particular, whether it’s metallics, studded, sequins, or shimmer, we are allowing ourselves to go back in to the statement partying territory.”

Good news if you’ve been missing dressing up over the past 18 months.