Versace makes shoes people notice

Versace makes shoes people notice. That's the point, and also the problem. A Medusa buckle or a Barocco print announces itself before you do, and if the construction underneath can't back up that opening line, you're left with a beautiful object that doesn't last past its second season. The question isn't whether Versace can make a statement shoe—it can, and does, several times a year—but whether that shoe will hold up under the conditions most people actually wear shoes in: pavements that aren't always smooth, commutes that involve stairs, evenings that run longer than planned.

I tested three models over eighteen months. Not in controlled conditions, but in rotation with everything else I own. I wore them to openings and to the grocery store and on a trip to Miami where I walked more than I meant to. I had them resoled once, cleaned them more than once, and watched how they aged against shoes from other houses at similar price points. What follows isn't about whether these shoes are worth the investment—worth is personal, and I'm not your accountant—but whether they're built to last past the first compliment.

Aevitas Platform Pump

The Aevitas is the one people ask about. A platform pump with a squared toe and a heel that sits just under five inches, though the two-inch platform brings the pitch down to something you can actually walk in. The upper is patent leather. The platform and heel are wrapped in the same. Versace released it in 2021, and it became the house's most recognisable silhouette almost immediately.

I bought mine in black patent in September 2022. Wore them twice that month, then put them away until December, when I needed something that would work with a slip dress for an event that required both standing and walking between venues. They held up through four hours on my feet, though I felt it the next day in my calves. That's the pitch, not the construction.

What surprised me was how the patent wore in. It creased at the vamp—patent always does—but the creasing stayed shallow. No cracking, no finish loss. I had them resoled after a year, not because the original sole was gone but because I wanted a rubber toplift on the heel. The cobbler I use in Bed-Stuy said the shank was solid, the lasting clean, and the platform structure better than he expected for a shoe that reads as decorative.

The interior is leather-lined, and the footbed has enough give that you're not walking directly on the platform. After eighteen months and maybe twenty wears, the lining at the heel counter shows some compression, but no tearing. The Medusa emblem on the insole has worn down to a ghost of itself, which is fine. I'm not looking at it.

These run narrow. If you're between sizes, go up. And if you've never worn a five-inch heel before, this isn't the place to start, platform or not.

Greca Labyrinth Sneaker

Versace's sneaker line doesn't get the same attention as the heels, but the Greca Labyrinth is the most practical thing the house makes. A low-top trainer with a chunky sole, leather and suede uppers, and the Greek key pattern worked into the midsole and collar. It's not subtle, but it's not trying to be.

I've had mine for two years. White leather with grey suede overlays. I've worn them on rotation with Lanvins and a pair of Margiela Replicas, and they've outlasted both in terms of sole integrity. The rubber is dense and the tread pattern actually grips, which matters when you're moving fast on slick tile or taking a corner on a wet street.

The leather creased early—full-grain does that—but it didn't crack or lose colour. I've cleaned them four times with a standard leather cleaner and a suede brush for the overlays. The suede has darkened slightly where my foot flexes, but that's wear, not damage. The Greek key detail is embroidered, not printed, so it hasn't faded or frayed.

The fit is generous. I'm a 39 in most Italian shoes, and I went with a 38.5 here. Even then, I have room in the toebox. The tongue is padded and the heel counter is stiff, which gave me some trouble the first week—I wore them with no-show socks and regretted it—but once the collar softened, they stayed comfortable through long days.

These work best as a clean sneaker option, not a beater. They'll hold up to regular wear, but the white leather won't forgive subway grime or sidewalk salt without maintenance.

Medusa Aevitas Slide Sandal

The Aevitas platform adapted into a slide. Same exaggerated sole, same squared shape, but open at the toe and secured with a single wide strap across the vamp. The strap is leather with a central Medusa medallion in gold-tone metal.

I was sceptical. Slides with this much height tend to pitch you forward, and the lack of a back strap means your foot has to work harder to stay in place. But the footbed is contoured, and the strap sits low enough on the vamp that your toes don't have to grip. I wore these through a week in Los Angeles last summer—dinners, a gallery opening, a full day walking through LACMA—and didn't lose them once.

The platform construction is the same as the pump, which means it's stable and the sole doesn't compress unevenly. The leather strap has softened but hasn't stretched out. The Medusa medallion is screwed in, not glued, so it's stayed secure. The footbed lining has compressed where my arch sits, which is normal for any shoe you wear sockless in warm weather.

The only real wear is at the toe, where the leather wraps around the platform edge. It's scuffed from catching on kerbs and stairs, but that's cosmetic. The structure underneath is fine.

These fit true to size, but if your foot is wide across the ball, the single strap might feel tight at first. It will give.

On Keeping Them

Versace shoes will last if you treat them like you paid for them. That means rotating them, not wearing the same pair three days in a row. It means cleaning them after wet weather and storing them with shoe trees if they're leather. It means getting them resoled before the sole is gone, not after.

Patent leather needs a soft cloth and a patent-specific cleaner—standard leather conditioner will dull the finish. Suede needs a brush and a protective spray, reapplied every few months. The platform styles benefit from a rubber toplift on the heel, which most cobblers can add for thirty dollars.

None of this is specific to Versace. It's just what good shoes require.