Creature comforts: from cuddly kitten heels to strokable stilettos, furry feet are the talk of the town

We celebrate and break down the season's most tactile trend
Emma McCarthy25 October 2016

Londoners are pretty practical creatures. We like our jumpers sloppy, our jeans boyfriend and our footwear flat. But every now and again you just have to put your sensible self on a shelf and throw on a fluffy shoe.

In what is proving to be a victory for YOLO dressing, shoe styles adorned with spongy shearling and piles of faux fur are proving the unlikeliest hit of the season. Yes, they look a bit like wearable feather dusters. And yes, they’re a magnet for all manner of city debris, from chewing gum to Tube mulch. But touchy-feely footwear is worth it, if only for the LOLs.

Among the finest furry footwear options come via Avec Modération (above). Based in Florence and made in Tuscany, the label is at the forefront of the indoor-outdoor shoe trend and specialises in luxurious flats with tactile trims, from shaggy shearling sliders to Mongolian faux fur slippers.

Brother Vellies - a label founded by New Yorker Aurora James and dedicated to sustainable, African artisan manufacture - is another leading the charge as far as sandals with built-in insulation is concerned.

Anya Hindmarch AW16 at LFW
Catwalking.com

Max Mara’s fur-strap pumps have also warmed the feet of models Gigi Hadid and Caroline Vreeland, while the pearl-encrusted eco-shearling slippers from Miu Miu - available in black, fuchsia and Cookie Monster blue - are a good option for anyone who didn’t manage to get their mitts on a pair of Rihanna’s sold-out Fenty fur pool slides.

Of course, our affection for a tactile shoe trend will come as no surprise to those who know their fashions.

Cast your mind back to spring/summer 13 and Phoebe Philo’s Céline “Furkenstocks”, or to Alessandro Michele’s debut for Gucci, when the style set fell head-over-heels for a pair of backless kangaroo-fur-lined loafers - a trend that’s going nowhere fast.

But as we discovered then, while these portable foot warmers may be cosy, waterproof they ain’t.

If the thought of splashing 400 quids’ worth of shoe around in a muddy puddle is more than you can bear, look instead to the high street for your new furry companions.

Zara (above) has a whole smorgasbord of sumptuous styles, from strappy sandals with hairy heels to curly shearling mules, while Topshop’s fluorescent faux fur ankle boots (below) should appeal to those who don’t have the £995 required to step out in Anya Hindmarch’s white shearling Yeti boots.

Too wild for you? Note that this tactile trend has much to offer the purveyor of practicality too. Statement in every sense of the word, your furry new friends are best paired with low-key separates, like a nice navy jumper and your trusty jeans.

Though we would still advise checking the weather forecast before stepping out of the house.

London Fashion Week SS17 - street style

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