Her dogs are out for the “The Dog Stars” premiere.
Margaret Qualley is dipping her toes in controversial waters, stepping out at the London premiere of her forthcoming film and baring her feet on the red carpet.
The actress, 31, chose a V-neck, fringed black Chanel gown, but it was her shoes — or lack thereof — that made waves.
Qualley wore Chanel’s controversial “barefoot cap heel” flats, which cover nothing but the wearer’s heels, leaving the arch, ball, and toes perilously exposed.
The unusual shoes were first shown on the runway in April 2026 to widespread mockery and philosophizing.
The New York Times said the style represented “irrational, nonsensical luxury” and dubbed them “gossamer to the point of becoming a metaphysical paradox.”
Vogue debated the “freaky” footwear while Elle dubbed the concept “flat-out subversive.”
Staged in Biarritz, Chanel’s cruise show was steeped in Coco Chanel’s beach culture, with the brand’s show notes indicating that designer Matthieu Blazy “wanted to evoke the down-to-earth feeling of a woman coming out of the beach or the sea,” per the Times. Chanel added that these particular “shoes” were intended to “almost look like jewelry.”
Shown in several colors alongside other playful accessories like high-fashion swim caps, coral-shaped earrings and an absolutely enormous tote bag recently carried by Dua Lipa, the half-footwear was, if not practical, arguably artistic.
However, thrown on a real-life A-lister in the midst of a press tour, there are serious questions of functionality here.
Did someone carry Qualley onto the carpet, or did she have to walk from her hotel to her car — or worse, the Tube — and traverse untold outdoor surfaces, skin to pavement? Will she enjoy popcorn and soda in comfy theater seats with her toes free in the air? Will there be a mid-premiere shoe change, or will she stand ten toes down (literally) on her decision?
Could Qualley be using her pedicure to distract from her bare left-hand ring finger, following her split from Jack Antonoff?
Most of all, the shoe’s first outdoor appearance begs the question: Will Chanel put these feet adornments into production for the masses to purchase for some farcical price? Time will tell, as pieces from the same collection are set to hit boutiques in November, per the brand’s website.
“The Dog Stars” stars Jacob Elordi — who wore a sensible pinstriped Bottega Veneta suit and black dress shoes on the red carpet — as a survivalist in a post-apocalyptic world, living with his dog after a flu wipes out much of the population. The dog actor himself, Rak Jasper, was pictured with the rest of the cast, paws on carpet.
Woof.
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