Tessa Thompson Embraces Surrealist Fashion in Schiaparelli Boots

These days, if you’re looking to infuse a little bit of surrealism into your wardrobe, there’s a couple obvious places where you should look. There’s Jonathan Anderson, who is constantly turning out quirky pieces for Loewe and his namesake brand, JW Anderson. And then of course, there’s Schiaparelli, with Daniel Roseberry currently continuing the surrealist legacy started by the house’s founder, Elsa Schiaparelli, who actually worked with surrealist artists like Salvador Dali. So, when photos emerged of Tessa Thompson in some trompe l'oeil boots, the designer was immediately obvious. Considering they’re not heels made up on roses, nail polish, or egg shells, we know they aren’t by Anderson. No, the boots are by Roseberry, who has been showing shoes in this style for a few seasons now, ever since he debuted them at Schiaparelli’s spring 21 couture show.

Thompson’s thigh-high, skintight boots are pretty standard until you reach the toes, but that’s where things get interesting. The tips are sculpted to look like actual toes that were just dipped in gold, creating an unexpected and enticing effect. Roseberry has since shown many iterations of this shoe, including heels and platform boots featuring the same technique.

Thompson and her stylists, Wayman Deon and Micah McDonald, kept the rest of the look fairly simple in order to really give the boots the attention they deserve. On top, Thompson is wearing a tight, black turtleneck dress with a blazer-style overcoat. The coat, from Schiaparelli’s fall 21 ready-to-wear collection, features more of the brands signature gold details, including a fastener featuring an actual lock. Thompson then finished off the ensemble with a braided hairstyle and red lip to play off the gold accents beautifully.