Impractical luxury shoes might be having a moment in 2026.
Following Chanel’s naked shoe featured in the brand’s 2027 cruise show, Celine wants to get in on the action, too. The French label just shared a design by creative director Michael Rider that already has people divided in the comments — a slim hybrid sneaker with a strappy upper that allows toes to poke through.
While the post shared by Celine indicated that the style was for fall 2026, the shoe can already be found on the Celine website, labeled as the ballet lace-up shoe in goatskin in the shade ultra red. The ballet categorization is understandable — it’s an extremely slim, foot-hugging style fitting squarely within the sneakerina category of the footwear market. Two sets of gold eyelets allow for minimal lacing, but it’s the design of the rest of the upper that really catches the eye.
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The design gets interesting in the front section as it’s divided into skinny strips of leather with little knots at each end. You wouldn’t necessarily call this an open-toe shoe, but the ultra-strappy design has the power to turn it into just that. The wearer’s foot isn’t entirely covered or protected, making it a better shoe choice for some scenarios than others depending on the circumstances.
Similar to Chanel’s heel cap shoe, a design like this can get people talking. One person commented on Celine’s post “Is this rage bait or just very editorial. Both.” while another simply said “Non.” Many were upset about the toe exposure while others were fans of the shoes.
While proving controversial before its release, the ballet lace-up shoe is not such a far cry from the footwear story Rider has thus far written in his short time at Celine — the creative director’s debut collection showcased in July 2025 featured jazz shoes, a slim lace-up style keen to become the next big low-profile trend.