I Always Thought This Shoe Trend Looked “Tacky”—Amal Clooney Has Made Me Rethink

No matter how hard I tried to resist, it seems vinyl heels are officially enjoying a comeback. Emerging as an unexpected hero on the spring/summer 2026 runways, the once-divisive shoe cropped up at Simone Rocha, Loewe and Maison Margiela, amongst others—signalling an imminent return. And now, Amal Clooney has taken them for a spin too.

Stepping out in a pointed-toe pair finished with a gleaming gold accent, Clooney’s choice finally reframed the trend in my mind. Styled with a chartreuse Versace minidress from the label’s spring/summer 2022 collection, the translucent detailing subtly elongated her silhouette, while the metallic point added a dose of glamour—elevating the look without competing with the dress’s bold hue.

I’ll admit it: I’ve long dismissed vinyl heels as a little “cheap”-looking, perhaps due to their plastic fabrication. It also doesn’t help that my first encounter with them dates back to the early 2010s, when their skinny jeans pairings hardly did them any favours.