THE HUMBLE PUMP IS BACK

An overarching theme of this recent fashion month was an emphasis on excellent wardrobe staples — and that didn’t just mean apparel. For Fall 2023, many designers honored in a classic footwear silhouette, one that has endured for literal centuries: the humble pump.

Typified by a pointy toe and stiletto heel at least a couple of inches tall, pumps haven’t exactly ever disappeared. They’ve remained a perennial workwear mainstay (for those back in the office at least), but it’s been a minute since they’ve appeared so prominently on runways. The writing for their resurgence was on the wall back in September, when they were a focal point of the Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Prada and Loewe Spring 2023 collections. (The latter presented exaggerated, surrealist versions, which were among the season’s buzziest.)