L'OFFICIEL looks back at how the footwear staple has developed throughout history.

Throughout recent years, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/ballet-flats-trend-style-fashion-social-media" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ballet flats</a> have become a footwear staple, appearing on it-girls from <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/karlie-kloss-styling-tricks-fashion-age-instagram" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Karlie Kloss </a>to <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/taylor-swift-songs-movie-television" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Taylor Swift</a>. But, unlike other iconic shoe designs, the classic shoe did not make its debut on the <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/carolyn-murphy-model-best-runway-moments" target="_blank" rel="noopener">runway</a> or in stores, instead, the flat originated on <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/prince-best-stage-style-performance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stage</a>. Since making its way into fashion, the ballet flat has secured its place as a must-have shoe and has had many styles, variations, and functions. Below, L'OFFICIEL looks back at the iconic flat and the ways it evolved throughout time.

For almost seven decades, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/shopping/shop-the-ultimate-balletcore-shoe-trend-ballet-flat-miu-miu-chanel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ballet</a> was strictly performed in heels. It wasn't until the 1700s that French dancer Marie Camargo became the first <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/gabriela-hearst-pre-fall-2020-ballerinas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ballerina</a> to wear flat shoes during her performance. As the shoes allowed for more intricate footwork, other ballerinas began to don the footwear as well.&nbsp;
The ballet slipper reached new heights when Salvatore Capezio opened a store across from the Metropolitan Opera House. Capezio had spent many years repairing ballet shoes and decided to make adjustments to the shoes so they required less upkeep. The shoes quickly got in, cementing Capezio as a ballet icon.

It was Capezio who allowed ballet flats to make the leap from dance to fashion. In the 1900s, designer Claire McCardell became fascinated with the shoes and commissioned Capezio to create an off-stage version. The shoes appeared in her collection and gained mass popularity.
Ballet flats were further developed into a footwear staple thanks to Italian designer Rose Repetto. Repetto's son was a renowned dancer and she would hand-make ballet flats for him to wear during his performances. <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/brigitte-bardot-beauty-inspiration-photos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brigette Bardot</a> went on to ask Repetto to make a version of the shoe for her to wear in her film&nbsp;And God Created Woman. The film went on to be a hit, turning Bardot into a fashion icon and further popularizing the shoes.
Ballet flats would go on to appear on many <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/wired-headphones-trend-bella-hadid-lily-rose-depp-street-style" target="_blank" rel="noopener">It girls</a> in the 1950s and '60s. <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/audrey-hepburn-givenchy-little-black-dress-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Audrey Hepburn</a> wore flats in her movie&nbsp;Funny Face and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/history-behind-jackie-kennedy-pink-suit-chanel-jfk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jackie Kennedy</a> and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/times-princess-charlotte-looked-just-like-princess-diana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Princess Diana</a> both went on to sport the shoes.&nbsp;

After falling out of favor with fashion's It girls, the ballet flat began to die out until reaching a resurgence in the <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/2010-forgotten-fashion-trends-celebrity-tumblr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2010s</a>. During this era, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/workwear-trend-analysis-streetstyle-utility-carhartt-dickies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">workwear</a> and business casual clothing began to dominate fashion. Celebrities were spotted in <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/hailey-bieber-aesthetic-shopping-oversized-blazers-glazed-skin-nails" target="_blank" rel="noopener">oversized blazers</a>, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/best-tights-for-winter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tights</a>, skinny jeans, and once again, ballet flats.

In 2016, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/miu-miu-director-janicza-bravo-house-comes-with-a-bird-womens-tales-short-film" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Miu Miu</a> debuted its version of the ballet flat, and photos of the shoes began to crowd social media platforms. Soon, celebrities from <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/rihanna-best-met-gala-looks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rihanna</a> to Taylor Swift were sporting the shoe and ballet flats began to become synonymous with the 2010s.&nbsp;

In 2022, some of our favorite trends from past years have been making a return. Whether they're taking inspiration from the early <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/70s-hair-trends-shag-bangs-comeback" target="_blank" rel="noopener">'70s</a> or leaning into <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/betsey-johnson-y2k-fashion-designer-legcacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Y2K</a> fashion, social media cannot get enough of <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/coach-stuart-vevers-spring-summer-2022-salem-mitchell-coach-tv-90s-rupauls-drag-race" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nostalgia</a>. So, it's no surprise that ballet flats have been making their way back onto our Instagram feeds&mdash;this time with a fresh twist.
Ballet flats made their runway return with Miu Miu's Fall/Winter 2022 collection where models wore delicate flats paired with leg warmers. Since then, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/shopping/shop-the-ultimate-balletcore-shoe-trend-ballet-flat-miu-miu-chanel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">balletcore</a>, an aesthetic centered around dance attire appeared on <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/how-to-do-siren-eyes-tiktok-makeup-trend" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a> and quickly took off. The ballet flat also expanded in styles, coming in variations from <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/platform-sandal-spring-summer-2021-shoe-trend" target="_blank" rel="noopener">platforms</a> to split toes. Ballet flats are functional, versatile, and stylish, and we are sure to be seeing much more of them for years to come.&nbsp;

The Evolution of the Ballet Flat

L'OFFICIEL USA December 2024 - Julianne Moore Cover

The Evolution of the Ballet Flat

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