Givenchy's Shark boot has always looked a bit stern, so a version with a front zip you can wear open to show off your leg is a proper surprise. It is the boldest move in Sarah Burton's Givenchy SS27 lookbook, and it changes the mood of one of the house's best-known shoes.
Burton has made tailoring the backbone of her time at Givenchy, but this collection loosens the rules a little. The accessories show it best, with zips, metal fastenings and a strangely split heel doing most of the talking.
Why Is Givenchy's Shark Boot Suddenly Unzipped?
Givenchy first showed the Shark in its autumn/winter 2008 couture collection and named it in 2012 after its shark tooth-shaped clasp. It was always strict and structured, which is why the new zip feels like such a change of pace. Burton had already stretched it to thigh height as the Shark Pinch, adding the metal hardware from her first season at the house, but that version still looked tightly buttoned up.
Worn open, the new one is far more relaxed than any Shark before it. Zips pop up across her footwear this season, from a folded-over boot with a biker edge to a sculptural wedge heel, so it feels like a theme rather than a one-off trick.
The hot pants x new shark boots at Givenchy...ultimate cool girl combo pic.twitter.com/iqaqXIeSOW
— linda (@itgirlbackup) October 2, 2026
What's Going On With Those Split Heels?
The thong sandal sits on a curved, two-pronged heel that looks as though someone has sliced the base in two. The gap between the prongs is cut with real precision, so the heel becomes the star of the shoe instead of an afterthought. It feels closer to industrial design than dainty partywear.
A wedge sandal takes a similar approach, with knotted straps and gold metallic orbs. The boots stick to metal hardware while the sandals bring in warmer gold, so the two finishes sit side by side without clashing.
Stop scrolling and look at the zipper heels at Givenchy SS27!! pic.twitter.com/P2wMKb4N5t
— Kea (@jacquemusx) October 3, 2026
Tough Meets Playful
Burton says she wanted 'balance and clarity' here, which sounds gentler than the hardware looks. Several dresses feature elaborate gold structures that curl from the chest and shoulders, like plants, turning the metalwork into body sculpture. Knife-sharp stilettos share the runway with pom-pom footwear, and the mix of hard and playful feels deliberate.
Beyond the shoes, the wardrobe features oversized coats, sculptural dresses, sharp suits, and leather that hugs and reshapes the body. Oversized florals on the clothes turn into dandelion-like details on heels, and Marco De Vincenzo introduces new leather goods. Her menswear debut sliced up a classic suit, shifting the lapel and changing the proportions, and introduced the Puffy Yard sneaker.
Givenchy SS27 Ready-To-Wear..🪡
— somie | (@soomienana) October 2, 2026
Thank god Sarah is there for us pic.twitter.com/fTg6xUkUVF
Can You Buy the New Shark Boot Yet?
The Shark Pinch boot is already on sale in Givenchy boutiques and online, and celebrities have helped it get noticed. Retail details for the spring pieces haven't been confirmed, so anyone after the open-zip boot or the new sandals will have to wait.
The Shark has been reworked under more than one creative director, from the Shark Lock to the Pinch, which shows it can survive a change of direction. Sarah Burton's Givenchy SS27 has made its case on the runway, and if the open zip and sliced heel catch on, her take on precise but wearable luxury will shape what the house sells next.
