For the 2011 Spring / Summer season, the shoe has to be classic: tapered, lace-up shoes for men, sometimes in an unusual light coloured two-tone, leaves room for Greek god style sandals, for a shoe that is characterised by simplicity, and by this token, always up to date. Moccasins in lived-in leather with fringes and tassels are timeless pieces in the male wardrobe, for an elegant and casual look dressed in Etro. Even the traditional snaffle loafer, as seen on the Gucci catwalk, both in the pastel-coloured suede version and in ostrich leather and in velvet, lay down the law when it comes to footwear. From the refined and simple moccasin slipper of Gianfranco Ferré to the ultra-soft slipper shoe in embroidered, woven leather of Roberto Cavalli, that mixes the culture of North American Indians with that of Turkey. Summer 2011 marks the return of a shoe that has become the perfect passepartout of informal footwear, to be worn with any outfit: espadrilles in natural canvas tones clothe the feet in the new D&G men's version and a version with laces at the ankles, the sophisticated sailor style by Hermès. Sandals are an absolute must in the summer wardrobe, following a mood of elegance and clean lines of the season or covering the feet with a dense network of riveted black leather straps, or minimalist leather: an almost Franciscan simplicity like those worn on the catwalks of Bottega Veneta and Lanvin that can also be worn with loose socks falling around the ankles. Ultra-flat flip-flops play with colour, especially in the version made of coconut, or in a combination of materials like leather and rope such as those by Dolce & Gabbana. Also present is a very simple 70s style just in leather. The pairing of cloth and leather also comes to desert boots that take on a used look, enhanced by carefully placed creases and abrasions. For a more sporty look, apart from the comfortable basketball sneakers in fluorescent colours by DSquared, Vans gym shoes with dragon patterns also win a place. Sportswear is also researching new solutions in footwear. Without laces and halfway between a boot and a sports shoe, Giuliano Fujiwara plays with geometric shapes and the meeting of materials such as leather and neoprene. Prada produces informal shoes of which some are really unconventional, blending classical uppers with swallow-tail perforations with three soles stuck together: classical, rope and a bottom in micro-porous rubber. Finally, for lovers of a more aggressive, Rockabilly styling, footwear manufacturers are doing research into python boots like those of Emporio Armani, or playing with the details in the lacing, creating black and white optical illusion effects, just like the closed shoe that has a zip, buckle and little studs for decoration. Old style Charlie Chaplin shoes are fun and ironic, with the reinforced toes of John Galliano. images: more than 600