On Thursday night, the first proper trailer for Greta Gerwig’s new Barbie film appeared online. Among other subplots, it shows Barbie venturing into the real world, and being made to choose between her customary heels – and a pair of brown Arizona Birkenstocks that symbolise “the truth about the universe”.
The timing couldn’t be better. This week, as the Cannes film festival drew to a close, Jennifer Lawrence was seen descending the steps of the Palais des Festivals wearing a red Dior gown and … a pair of black flip-flops, having changed out of her towering red heels.
But this was more than just about practicality. The Cannes fad for wearing flat shoes transitioned from act of comfort to act of rebellion in 2015, after a group of women in their 50s were allegedly turned away from a screening of Todd Haynes’s Carol for wearing rhinestone flats instead of heels.
The festival declined to comment on the strict “croisetiquette” as it came to be known (festival director Thierry Frémaux later took to Twitter to deny that heels were mandatory). But it was too late; going barefoot became a blanket response to ageism, sexism, and outmoded dress codes – and an early example of red carpet protest-wear.
Most years since one A-list celebrity or another has gone heel-free in Cannes. In 2016, Julia Roberts and Sasha Lane removed their heels. In 2018, Kristen Stewart removed her stilettos at the screening of BlacKkKlansman. In 2019, the French actor Maimouna N’Diaye wore flats to the screening of Young Ahmed.
Thankfully for Lawrence, we are entering the summer of the flat glamour shoe. Ballet pumps are one of John Lewis’s big summer sellers, while Mary Janes have been introduced at Boden, Vibi Venezia and Russell & Bromley. The only thing not allowed? The white plimsoll, which last week was declared dead, even by the Daily Mail. In its place, they claim, are hiking shoes. Socio-policial statement – or Barbie subplot aside – perhaps Birkenstocks are the preferred option.
