Fashion & Beauty: Earlier this month, the Q2 Lyst Index was released – the shopping app compiles the quarterly report through online searches and catalogued social-media data – seeing the Miu Miu boat shoe land at number four on the quarter’s hottest products (fellow top-tenners were a Skims white tank, Adidas sports shorts and the renaissance of the Isabelle Marant heeled sneaker). Miuccia Prada has long had a soothsayer-like quality – recent seasons have seen her sliced-away mini skirts, hanging bag charms, and ballet shoes achieve style ubiquity – and though the boat shoes were first shown in her S/S 2024 show for the Prada sister brand, it has taken a year for them to achieve true virality (Miu Miu released further iterations for Summer 2025).
The boat shoe’s appeal can be broken down by two prevailing trends: first, the rise of low-effort, off-duty footwear (The Row’s flip-flops or spa-style jelly shoes are examples, as is the rise of the Charvet slipper), second, the re-emergence of a preppy uniform (Jonathan Anderson’s first Dior Men collection featured cable-knit sweaters and schoolboy striped shirts, and a similar collegiate mood was struck at Michael Rider’s Celine debut earlier this summer). The boat shoe – traditionally designed to be worn on boats and yachts to prevent scuff marks on deck – has long straddled these two worlds, making it ripe for revival. And, while the Sebago or Sperry Topsiders remain the classical blueprint, fashion’s take on the style is altogether more eclectic – here, the Wallpaper* style team select ten of the best boat shoes of the season, from studded to slip-on, square-toed to two-tone.
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The ‘Plume’, a kind of moccasin-cum-boat shoe, was perhaps the best-known creation of Simone Bellotti during his brief (but much-celebrated) tenure at Swiss fashion house Bally. And, though Italian designer might have recently left for a new position as creative director of Jil Sander, the ‘Plume’ remains (and looks to stay) a part of the Bally roster. Of the many iterations of the style – which includes versions in suede, two-tone and perforated leather, or with penny loafer detailing – our favourite is this pair dotted with metal studs.
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The unique ‘flipper’ shape of Loewe’s ‘Campo’ sole – introduced by Jonathan Anderson during his tenure at the Spanish house – has been applied to numerous footwear archetypes, from loafer to Mary Jane. The ‘Campo’ boat shoe, though, is particularly appealing – not simply for its intriguing shape, but also for the knotted charm which hangs off the laces.
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Miu Miu’s boat shoe is arguably the shoe of the summer: introduced by the house as part of its S/S 2024 collection, it has since achieved the type of virality of other recent exports from the house, from micro-minis to chain belts and bag charms (its suede iteration was the fourth hottest item on the Lyst Index for Q2). This pair is primed for the final days of summer, crafted from lightweight canvas and leather bleached to give the appearance it’s been left in the sun.
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There’s something to be said for a classic, and this pair by Italian brand Brunello Cucinelli – known for its craft-centric approach – captures the boat shoe’s perennial appeal. Look closer, though, and they come with an elegant twist – the side laces are actually crafted from hundreds of delicate brass Monili beading, a Brunello Cucinelli signature.
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In his first year at Valentino, Alessandro Michele has brought his eclectic eye to the Roman house, fusing a mood of romance with nods to the burgeoning jet set of the 1960s and 1970s. These fall into the latter camp: a vintage-feel boat shoe with top-stitch detailing, twisted leather laces and the Valentino monogram, stamped in gold.
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Crafted from patent leather with a crackled finish, Dries Van Noten’s take on the boat shoe elevates the style to evening wear with a stacked leather sole more commonly found on dress shoes. They also have an intriguing shape: the wide, rounded toe is constructed from gently puckered leather, while twisted leather laces add to their tactile appeal.
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Swedish tailoring brand Saman Abel’s take on the boat shoe – ultra-flat, soft in construction – has fast become ubiquitous in style circles (during Men’s Fashion Week they were unmissable). This version comes in deep blue suede with contrasting black laces.
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This slip-on version of the Miu Miu boat shoe sees it combined with another footwear style of the season – the slipper (we named it the shoe of the A/W 2024 season, and its appeal is showing no signs of abating). Faded as if well-loved and time-worn, they feature the boat shoe’s recognisable leather laces and eyelets.
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The boat shoe is rooted in the traditions of preppy style, a mode of dress that Ralph Lauren has honed since the brand was founded in the late 1960s. This pair by the brand’s Purple Label – the highest-end iteration of the brand – is part boat, part car shoe, featuring tasselled laces and gripped rubber soles.
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Inspired by his takeover of Monte-Carlo Beach Club earlier this summer, Simon Porte Jacquemus’ riff on the boat shoe features a gently squared toe for a typically graphic take on the style. Titled the ‘Batto’, they come in shades of pale, buttercup yellow, 1970s-tinged tan suede and glossy black – the latter with a textural mock-croc finish.
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By Jack Moss
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