For a long time confined to the hips, belt buckles have moved into new territory. Today, they’re taking over the entire silhouette. Prada has made them the centerpiece of one of its latest bags, and on the runway as well as in the streets, they’re appearing everywhere, turning a functional detail into a fashion signature.
A detail that has endured for several seasons
This winter again, the buckle often decorative remains a strong presence, especially on buckle combat boots, now an essential piece. They appeared prominently on the Spring-Summer 2025 runways at Ganni, Ann Demeulemeester and Knwls. Among emerging designers, Samira Camoscio in footwear and Sierra Rena in handbags have even made it a focal point of their creations.
But this trend didn’t emerge last season. Before becoming the obsession of every Pinterest user, the buckle boot belonged mainly to an alternative wardrobe. Vivienne Westwood’s Pirate Boot, created in 1981, remains its most iconic example: a subversive, punk piece worn as a manifesto.
It wasn’t until the 2010s that it landed on the feet of it-girls, from Kate Moss to Sienna Miller. Today, its value is soaring on the second-hand market, proof that a well-placed buckle can endure over the decades.
Dressing up accessories
An even more explicit nod, starting with its name: Prada’s “Buckle” bag. Here, the buckle no longer merely closes or decorates, it becomes the central element around which the entire Buckle line is built. In doing so, Prada transforms a functional mechanism into a near-totemic symbol.
On the clothing side, designer Jeanne Friot pushes this exploration even further. For the Spring-Summer 2026 collection, the French designer imagined a strapless dress constructed entirely from belts. Here, the buckle is no longer an embellishment or a decorative detail: it becomes the very framework of the garment. Fixed, multiplied, adjusted, it structures the silhouette, replaces seams, and redefines the lines of the piece.
Friot also embraces an upcycling approach, repurposing old belts to give rise to new forms. Yesterday’s accessory becomes today’s raw material. The play on the “buckle” reaches its peak here, quite literally closing the loop.
Above all, she offers a contemporary reflection on the act of creating, transforming a symbol of fastening into an act of creative freedom.
First an ornamental element, the buckle has become a raw material. A tool for rethinking functionality and even the silhouette. It now appears repurposed and multiplied: it closes, connects and supports, but it also sculpts.
Today, the buckle goes far beyond its original role as a functional accessory. On shoes, it defines the style; on boots, it sets the attitude; on bags and clothing, it becomes the centerpiece. Winter 2025 confirms it: the buckle is everywhere and above all, it no longer just cinches the waist, it completes the silhouette.
How can you make this reinvention your own?
By freeing itself from its role as a fastening element, the buckle liberates the silhouette. It no longer closes; it opens up new ways of dressing.
With buckle combat boots, two radically opposed approaches emerge and that’s precisely what makes them so interesting. First option: embrace their rock and alternative heritage. Pair them with black skinny jeans, a military jacket or a perfecto. The silhouette exudes determination and character. You play the role, but you update it. Second option: completely overturn the punk register. The heavy, structured boots create contrast with a bohemian wardrobe. Think flowing dresses, natural fabrics, beiges, off-whites, light browns, and loose cuts that move around the body. The rigidity of the shoe converses with the softness of the clothing.
Stiletto heels with buckles create an entirely different silhouette. To avoid a look that feels too “dressed up,” pair them with streetwear pieces. The perfect combination: low-rise raw denim baggy jeans and a cropped bomber jacket. The result? A silhouette inspired by Veneda Carter, who masters this balance flawlessly. The buckles add a metallic, almost jewelry-like touch that contrasts beautifully with the raw denim and the nylon of the bomber.
Today, the buckle goes far beyond its functional role. Whether it structures a dress, shapes a boot or turns a bag into an iconic piece, it blurs the boundaries between accessory, decorative detail and central silhouette element. In 2025, the buckle is no longer just on the belt, it completes the look, quite literally and figuratively.
