Dior has quietly revived a Galliano-era idea, and Givenchy has answered with a heel that looks sliced clean in two. For SS27, Jonathan Anderson turns the zip into the strap itself, while Sarah Burton lays a single gold zip along the foot and balances it on one of the season's strangest heels.
Both designs were shown during the Spring/Summer 2027 shows this autumn, so 2026's talking point is really next summer's wardrobe. Two creative directors, one fastening and two opposite ideas, make this one of the season's most revealing accessory face-offs.
Anderson's Christian Dior Zipper Heels
The Dior design is a black stiletto sandal in which the zip does the structural work. One zipped strap loops asymmetrically around the ankle, another runs across the toes, and each ends in a metal charm pull. The ankle pull is a C, and the toe pull is a D, spelling out the house's initials without a logo in sight. On the runway, it was styled with a vivid floral skirt.
Anderson's sandal clearly traces back to John Galliano's Spring 2001 Dior collection, which featured a black snakeskin-effect sandal with zipped straps and a gold D charm. The zipped straps and toe charm are strikingly similar. Anderson keeps that idea, tightens it, and completes the monogram with the extra C, so some will see a confident tribute and others a close copy.
Burton's Givenchy Zipper-Trimmed Thong Sandals
Burton's design is a black leather thong sandal with a gold zip running down the strap, finished with a ring pull. A flash of red lining shows beneath the foot, and the heel splits into two slim prongs that sweep out behind the shoe as though it had been cut in half. On the runway, it was styled with wide-leg jeans in washed blue denim with a raw, frayed hem.
The sandal is one of several pieces in which Burton loosens a house known for strict tailoring, with zips and split heels recurring across her spring footwear. Here the zip is a clean gold line, but it shares the stage with a heel that grabs most of the attention.
Dior vs Givenchy Heels: Two Ways to Use a Zip
The clearest difference is the zip's job in each shoe. At Dior, it's structural, forming the straps and wrapping the ankle, so the sandal would fall apart without it. At Givenchy, it is a decorative line laid across a classic thong shape, and the real invention sits underneath in the heel.
The styling underlines the split. Dior pairs its hardware with a soft floral skirt, keeping the look polished and feminine, while Givenchy sets its sculptural heel against rough, frayed denim for a deliberately undone feel.
zipper heels at dior and givenchy this season pic.twitter.com/RxfDMLdGoB
— noah (@pradachurch) October 3, 2026
Who Wins the Zipped-Heel Battle?
Givenchy wins for originality. Dior's sandal is beautifully executed, but it refines an idea the house showed 25 years ago. Burton's has no such precedent: the split heel is genuinely new, and the frayed denim keeps the gold zip feeling modern rather than nostalgic.
Dior deserves credit for its precision, and the C and D charms are a clever signature. Even so, a trend is won by the design that makes people look twice, and a heel that looks cut in half does that more than a faithful remix. Anderson has made a lovely sandal, but Burton has made the one that moves the idea forward.
