Goodbye ballet flats, this French shoe will be trending come September

Fashion has long held a special place in its heart for the world of dance. Consider the reign of the ballet flats – still twirling its way down runways from Ferragamo to JW Anderson to, of course, Simone Rocha. The style was (and remains) the cornerstone of the 2010s It-girl wardrobe, as shown by the likes of Alexa Chung and Kate Moss. After a brief fall from grace (during the dark days of Fila Disruptors and other such ankle-breaking styles), the ballet flat has pirouetted back into our wardrobes in a big way: ballet sneakers, ballet loafers, ballet heels, we’re all gunning for our own Black Swan moment. Quietly leading the (not so quiet) ballet flat revival? French It-girl brand Repetto, whose styles have been adopted by new-gen fashion girls like Lily-Rose Depp.

But long before ballet flats were associated with any kind of -core, Repetto had a more unlikely mascot: Serge Gainsbourg. In the 1970s, the Frenchman swore by the brand’s Zizi style, a soft jazz shoe that was named for dancer Zizi Jeanmaire, daughter-in-law of brand founder Rose Repetto. Now, Derbies – specifically the slim and supple kind – are ready for a comeback. Jacquemus led the charge with its spring/summer 2024 collaboration with Repetto, while Lemaire has quietly adopted the lace-up style in tandem. Most recently, they’ve popped up at Celine, where Michael Rider’s French take on American prep is quickly emerging as a new trend (see also: Jonathan Anderson’s Dior debut).