At the 2026 Tribeca Festival premiere of "Happy Hours," Katie Holmes demonstrated a curator's eye for contrast, pairing a romantic, dusty-rose satin column dress from Chloé with the house's Cleia sandal - a black patent T-strap heel studded with gold-tone cabochons. The sandal, with its 2.8-inch curved stiletto and bauble-like gold cap, recalls the sculptural, almost architectural footwear of the 1970s, when Chloé, founded in 1952 by Gaby Aghion, first defined its bohemian-luxe identity. The Cleia's pointed toe and side cutouts echo the lingerie-inspired detailing that has long influenced ready-to-wear: think of the delicate straps and peekaboo panels that first appeared in 1930s boudoir slippers, later adapted by designers for evening wear. Holmes's look continued a Tribeca week of studied shoe choices: earlier, she wore Chanel's cap-toe slingbacks - a nod to Coco Chanel's 1957 two-tone pump, which revolutionized women's footwear by elongating the leg - and Malone Souliers' embossed thong sandals, a contemporary take on the minimalist slide that emerged from 1990s minimalism. The Cleia, with its adjustable ankle strap and engraved hardware, bridges the gap between retro silhouette and modern restraint. In "Happy Hours," Holmes plays Liz, a photographer reconnecting with a lost love, played by Joshua Jackson - a reunion 25 years after "Dawson's Creek." Her footwear choices, like the film's narrative, weave together past and present with deliberate, elegant tension.
Originally reported by WWD