From 1953 to 1963, every pair of Dior shoes carried a line inside that read Christian Dior crée par Roger Vivier. It was the only time Christian Dior shared a label with another designer. Vivier is credited with the modern stiletto in 1954, built around a thin steel rod, and with the comma heel in 1959. When you buy Dior shoes, you are buying into that decade.

The modern chapter started with Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior's first female creative director, appointed in 2016. Her first collection, for spring 2017, introduced the J'Adior slingback, with a ribbon band embroidered J'Adior across the toe. It is still the pair of Dior shoes women ask about most.

This grid is built around it. The J'Adior Slingback ballerinas in black are flat and easy, the version I would wear daily. There are several black J'Adior slingback pumps here, in technical fabric and leather, with different heel heights, so compare each one before you choose. The beige J'Adior pump is the summer pair. The Dior Initials Pump in red is the bold one, and the Dior Romance Pump in off-white is soft and bridal.

A slingback strap needs to sit snug. If it slips off the heel as you walk, a small silicone grip inside the strap fixes it.

Dior is now led by Jonathan Anderson, who took over women's, men's and couture in June 2025, the first person to oversee all three since Christian Dior himself. His debut show in October 2025 made the bow a new Dior signature and showed heels shaped like roses. Flats sit at the heart of that mood.

The J'Adior Ballet Flat in black has the embroidered ribbon bow on the toe, the prettiest flat here. The Dior Ballets Flat and the plain black ballet flats are quieter, round-toed shoes for work. The Dior Boy loafers in black are the polished option, a loafer that looks good with jeans and with a skirt.

Then the boots. The J'Adior Heeled Ankle Boot in black carries the ribbon onto a winter shoe, and the D-Town Boot is the sleek city boot. The D-Trap Ankle Boots in black have a strap detail, and the Dior Bolt Ankle Boot in brown is the one I would wear with a long camel coat.

Ballet flats wear out at the toe first. A thin rubber sole guard from a cobbler makes them last much longer.

What I would skip: a ballet flat for a long, wet walking day. Wear a boot and change at the office.

The Walk'n'Dior first appeared in Dior's Cruise 2018 show, and it was the house's answer to the canvas sneaker. Its laces are woven with the words Christian Dior J'Adior, and it comes in the house's two prints, the Cannage quilting and the Oblique logo.

The Walk'n'Dior in blue Dior Oblique embroidered cotton is the classic, the one you would recognise across a room. The grey Walk'n'Dior is softer and goes with everything. The black Walk'n'Dior sneaker and the blue one are the low, flat originals.

Then the platforms, which add a few centimetres without looking clunky. The black platform is the easiest, and the off-white platform is lovely in summer. The blue platform keeps the Oblique look, and the gold platform is the most fun pair, very good with a black dress.

Embroidered cotton marks easily, and pale versions show every spill. Spray it before the first wear and spot clean it with a soft brush and cool water, never in a machine.

What I would skip: the gold platform with a printed outfit. Let the shoe be the only shine.

Beyond the Walk'n'Dior, Dior makes a small family of sneakers, and each one looks a little different. These are the ones I would look at if the canvas look is not for you.

The Dior Star sneaker in off-white is low and clean, with a small star on the side. The Dior Star Platform in grey is the same idea, lifted. The Dior Ribbon Sneaker comes in silver and white, with a ribbon detail that echoes the J'Adior slingback, and the silver pair is the one I would choose.

The Dior Chrono in grey and in beige is the retro runner, with a slimmer sole and a sporty shape. The Dior Vibe in white is the chunkier trainer, built for long days, and the Dior Mile in off-white is the minimal one that would work with a suit.

A leather sneaker in off-white needs a little care. Wipe it with a damp cloth after each wear and use a leather cream once a month.

Fit tip: try runners and court sneakers on in the afternoon, when your feet are at their largest.

What I would skip: the Vibe with a slim, formal trouser. It is a sport shoe and looks best with relaxed clothes.

Vivier's comma heel of 1959 showed that a Dior heel could be playful. The slides and mules in this grid carry that idea into summer, from flat to a small heel.

The Dway slide in off-white is the most recognisable, a flat slide with a wide embroidered strap. It is the summer shoe I would pack first. The DiorAct slides in black have a thicker, sportier sole, and the D-Lane slide in black is the simple, flat leather one.

The Dior Bow Slide in black brings the bow back to a summer shoe, and the 30 Montaigne slides in black are the sleekest. The Dior Boy Mules in black are the closed-toe option, a loafer you can slip into. The Dior Médaillon Buckle Heeled Slide in black has a small heel and a medallion buckle, the dressiest of the lot. The Dior Granville espadrilles in navy are the beach shoe, with a rope sole.

With a flat slide, keep your pedicure simple. Bare, neat nails look best next to an embroidered strap.

What I would skip: espadrilles on wet sand. The rope sole soaks up water and never quite dries the same.

My first pair would be the J'Adior slingback in black, flat or with a low heel. It works from the office to dinner and carries the whole modern Dior story in one strap. Next I would choose the Walk'n'Dior in Oblique for weekends, and a Dway slide for summer.

Vivier made Dior shoes feel light and clever in the 1950s. Chiuri and now Anderson have kept that idea alive, and these are the pairs that show it best today, from the office to the beach. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Prada Shoes for Women and Valentino Rockstud Dupe.