Oftentimes, shoes don’t serve as a focal point of a red carpet look. But some of the best outfits on the red carpet this year highlighted shoes.
Bella Hadid’s sported a sultry, nearly naked dress by Ralph & Russo Couture at the amFAR Gala during the Cannes Film Festival. She tied her look together with glistening Rene Caovilla sandals that wound up the ankle, highlighting the embellishments on the gown.

Rihanna also opted for Rene Caovilla’s footwear on the red carpet, sporting the designer’s sandals with a two-piece canary yellow Oscar de la Renta look at one of the launches of her Fenty Beauty line. The singer wowed in statement sandals more than once in 2017, hitting the red carpet at a premiere of her film “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” while sporting custom Manolo Blahnik sandals that went all the way up to her knees, rendered in a delicate pink colorway.

Rihanna’s co-star Cara Delevingne also selected statement sandals for the “Valerian” premiere, wearing embellished Burberry sandals that matched a piece she wore around her neck for a look that was coordinated but not boring.

Naomie Harris proved that footwear can be a focal point of an Academy Awards look; most attendees sport full-length gowns. Harris looked stylish in a white Calvin Klein by Appointment gown paired with bright yellow sandals — a standout style for the “Moonlight” nominee.

While sandals dominated on the red carpet, not every best look incorporated them. Alessandra Ambrosio pulled off one of the most daring looks of the year at the MTV VMAs, stepping out in a Balmain minidress and matching legging boots.
