The edit
The pieces worth hunting in 2026
Five references that are holding value, and one that is quietly overpriced. What we would buy this year and what we would wait out.
Resale value is not the same as desirability. A shoe holds price when three things line up: constrained production, a silhouette that survives a trend cycle, and a house that does not discount. Here is where those three overlap this year.
1. The mesh flat
The reference that made mesh a category. Production is genuinely small, restocks are not a thing, and the mid sizes trade above original retail. Buy it in any condition grade; the silhouette is not going anywhere.
2. Hermès Oran and Chypre, in the harder finishes
The plain calfskin Oran is available if you are patient. The embossed and exotic-look finishes are not, and they are the ones that hold. A Chypre in a 41 is the single most-requested item on our sourcing list.
3. Chanel bicolour slingbacks in discontinued pairings
The beige-and-black is permanent. The seasonal pairings — burgundy and white, white and black — are not, and the discontinued combinations have appreciated every year since 2021.
4. The quiet loafer
Loro Piana and Hermès flats with no visible branding are the strongest performers in the daytime category. They are bought by people replacing a pair they already wore out, which is the most reliable demand there is.
5. Restored evening pieces
An embellished evening shoe worn once and restored properly costs a third of retail and looks identical under light. This is the best value in the market and the least crowded part of it.
And one to wait out
The heavily studded pump. Still beautiful, still well made, but supply on the secondary market now exceeds demand in every mid size. If you want one, there is no reason to pay this year's asking price.
