During Paris Fashion Week in September and October 2021, Irina Shayk demonstrated three distinct approaches to archival fashion by reviving landmark designs from Maison Margiela, Helmut Lang, and Thierry Mugler.
Rather than treating vintage as nostalgia, each appearance paired an influential archival garment with footwear that reflected the original design language, showing how carefully chosen shoes can reinforce the character of a historic look.
Maison Margiela’s 2001 Tailoring Returned at the Vogue Paris Exhibition
Irina Shayk arrives at the Vogue Paris 100th Anniversary Exhibition at the Palais Galliera in Paris on October 1, 2021, wearing an oversized Maison Margiela Fall/Winter 2001 pinstripe blazer and waistcoat styled without trousers, finished with minimalist black ankle-strap sandals featuring signature clear Lucite block heels (Credit: Mega / WENN)
Her first stop was the Vogue Paris 100th Anniversary Exhibition at the Palais Galliera, where she wore an oversized pinstripe blazer and matching waistcoat from Maison Margiela’s Fall/Winter 2001 collection without trousers.
The restrained styling echoed Martin Margiela’s deconstructive tailoring, while minimalist sandals with clear block heels complemented the collection’s understated approach instead of competing with it.
Irina Shayk showcases her long legs in Maison Margiela Fall/Winter 2001 oversized pinstripe blazer and waistcoat (Credit: Mega / WENN)
Pixie hair no more, the Russian beauty let her brunette tresses fall loose around her shoulders in tousled waves for an edgy look. She then skipped wearing any jewelry and stepped out with minimal makeup.
Irina Shayk wears barely-there makeup and lets her brunette tresses fall loose in tousled waves around her shoulders (Credit: Mega / WENN)
Completing her vintage but edgy ensemble was a minimalist pair of black heels from Maison Margiela. They have delicate ankle straps, toe straps, and clear block heels.
Irina Shayk shows off her feet in Maison Margiela sandals with clear block heels (Credit: Mega / WENN)
The Margiela look was only one chapter in a week defined by archival fashion. Across multiple Paris Fashion Week events, Shayk moved between influential collections from different decades while adapting her footwear to suit each designer’s distinct aesthetic.
Helmut Lang’s 1997 Leather Dress Captured Late-’90s Minimalism
Irina Shayk leaves the launch of CR Fashion Book’s Parade issue in Paris on September 30, 2021, wearing an archival Helmut Lang Fall/Winter 1997 black leather dress with asymmetric paneling, styled with metallic silver snake-coil sandals featuring wraparound ankle straps and elegant kitten heels (Credit: Mega / WENN)
At the launch of CR Fashion Book’s Parade Issue, Shayk turned to another influential archive by wearing a black leather dress from Helmut Lang’s Fall/Winter 1997 collection.
The asymmetric construction, raw leather panels, and streamlined silhouette reflected the industrial minimalism that helped define Lang’s work during the late 1990s.
Irina Shayk wears an archival Helmut Lang leather dress with strappy silver sandals (Credit: Mega / WENN)
Keeping the look sleek, she pulled her tresses back into a neat bun and added a bold red lip color.
Rather than overpowering the dress, Shayk finished the outfit with Helmut Lang metallic silver sandals featuring wraparound snake-coil ankle straps and a low kitten heel.
Their reflective finish echoed the collection’s industrial influences while maintaining the clean, restrained styling that became a signature of Lang’s late-1990s runway shows.
Irina Shayk displays her feet in silver snakeskin sandals with kitten heels (Credit: Mega / WENN)
If the Margiela and Helmut Lang looks emphasized restraint, Shayk’s final archival appearance embraced theatrical couture. For the opening of the Thierry Mugler: Couturissime exhibition, she wore one of the designer’s most celebrated creations.
Irina Shayk Revived Thierry Mugler’s Legendary Butterfly Dress
Irina Shayk attends the Thierry Mugler: Couturissime photocall during Paris Fashion Week at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris on September 28, 2021, wearing Thierry Mugler’s legendary Les Insectes Spring/Summer 1997 Haute Couture butterfly gown, styled with sheer opera gloves and embellished pointed-toe pumps that complemented the shimmering, hand-sequined masterpiece (Credit: Mega / WENN)
Shayk arrived wearing Thierry Mugler’s celebrated butterfly gown from the Les Insectes Spring/Summer 1997 Haute Couture collection.
Originally modeled by Jerry Hall on the couture runway, the design later became one of Mugler’s most recognizable creations, thanks to its sculpted corseted silhouette, intricate butterfly-inspired sequins, and sweeping fishtail train.
Irina Shayk showcases her hourglass figure in Thierry Mugler’s Les Insectes Spring 1997 butterfly dress (Credit: Mega / WENN)
Ensuring all eyes were on her dress, Irina opted not to wear any accessories except for a pair of sheer black gloves that added drama to the look. She then kept her tresses down and wore barely-there makeup.
Irina Shayk simply wears her hair down with minimal makeup to allow her sequined dress to take center stage (Credit: Mega / WENN)
Shayk completed the couture look with embellished pointed-toe pumps whose restrained silhouette balanced the elaborate gown without distracting from it.
The sparkling embellishments subtly echoed the dress’s thousands of embroidered sequins, while the sharply tapered toe extended the dramatic vertical lines created by Mugler’s corseted design.
Irina Shayk teams her sparkling dress with embellished pointed-toe pumps (Credit: Mega / WENN)
Interest in archival fashion has continued well beyond the 2021 shows, and authenticated vintage pieces from influential designers remain widely available through luxury resale specialists and curated archive marketplaces.
For collectors looking to explore similar designs, Farfetch regularly features archival selections from labels including Maison Margiela, Helmut Lang, Prada, Raf Simons, Comme des Garçons, Yohji Yamamoto, and Issey Miyake.
How Irina Shayk Makes Archival Fashion Feel Entirely Her Own
Across three Paris appearances, Irina Shayk treated archival fashion as more than a red-carpet reference. Her Maison Margiela sandals preserved the restraint of early-2000s deconstructed tailoring, Helmut Lang’s metallic coil sandals echoed the industrial minimalism of the late 1990s, and embellished pointed-toe pumps carried the shimmer of Mugler’s butterfly gown through to the floor.
The clothes came from different houses and collections, but the approach remained consistent: the shoes supported the character of each historic design rather than competing with it.
That same attention to footwear runs throughout Shayk’s wardrobe. Away from couture exhibitions, she shifts easily between sculptural heels, minimalist sandals, polished lace-ups, statement boots, and substantial platform soles, using each pair to change the balance and attitude of an outfit.
👠 Explore Irina Shayk’s Standout Shoe and Fashion Moments:
- 📏 Standing at 5’9″ (175.3 cm) and wearing a US shoe size 9, Irina Shayk moves confidently between towering stilettos, sculptural sandals, polished loafers, and heavy-duty boots.
- 🥾 Her signature street-style shoe formula brings together Both Gao combat boots, Dr. Martens 1460s, Tamara Mellon lug boots, Bottega Veneta Chelsea boots, and rare Adidas FYW S-97 sneakers.
- 🖤 See how she changes the mood of an outfit through footwear, moving from minimalist thong sandals and tailored Burberry derby shoes to the substantial Both Gao boots that became part of her downtown uniform.
- 🦓 Her sold-out Magda Butrym zebra-print boots brought a sharply pointed toe and low kitten heel to relaxed Paris Georgia tailoring, while retro square-toe boots added structure to an oversized shearling-and-denim look.
- 👢 Her Dr. Martens Shriver Hi platform boots grounded a delicate red slip dress with burnished Wyoming leather, a chunky 2-inch heel, and the utilitarian contrast that defines much of her off-duty style.