NEW YORK MEN’S DAY: FOOTWEAR FOCUS

Shoes were certainly not an afterthought at Friday’s New York Men’s Day presentations, as menswear stylists complemented the avant-garde apparel with perfect (if somewhat unexpected) footwear, much of it in updated classic models.

Designer choices for men ranged from Florsheim’s burgundy penny loafers at The Salting to Stacy Adams’ Cuban-heeled boots at A.Potts. Sermon Series featured Gola sneakers and Sperry footwear adorned the feet of fabulous models at Sivan, Of Nothing and Terry Singh (at top and below). Dress shoes, boots and sneakers all played equally important roles in establishing a perfect 2025 footwear wardrobe.

The main message: opposites attract. The footwear need no longer match the apparel in color, weight, material or mood. Shoes that are essentially classic or clunky can complement clothes that are gender-fluid, contemporary, even sheer. Ironically, if it looks wrong, it’s probably just right. Bottom line, like all things fashion, clothing and footwear are about self-expression, and young men seem increasingly eager to express themselves in shoes that are comfortable, just a bit edgy, or else striking in their simplicity.