Margaret Qualley has brought one of Chanel’s most unusual recent footwear designs from the runway to the red carpet. The actor wore the French fashion house’s controversial “barefoot sandals” at the London premiere of The Dog Stars on August 20, 2026, turning an already-discussed runway design into one of the evening’s most noticeable fashion talking points.
Qualley attended the world premiere of The Dog Stars at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London. The film, directed by Ridley Scott and based on Peter Heller’s 2012 novel, stars Qualley alongside Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin. The film is scheduled for theatrical and IMAX release on August 28, 2026.
For the premiere, Qualley wore a black Chanel dress from the brand’s Cruise 2027 collection. The dress featured a plunging V-neck, cap sleeves and cascading fringe or paillette embellishment. She paired it with the collection’s distinctive footwear, which has been described by fashion publications as Chanel’s “barefoot” or “sole-less” sandals.
The footwear was designed by Chanel creative director Matthieu Blazy and first appeared during the house’s Cruise 2027 show in Biarritz, France, in April 2026. Rather than covering the foot like a conventional shoe, the design leaves most of the foot exposed. It incorporates a leather heel cap and straps while leaving the toes and much of the sole uncovered.
The design attracted attention when it appeared on the runway because of how dramatically it reduced a conventional shoe to its most minimal components. Its appearance at the Biarritz show also connected with the collection’s coastal setting, while Qualley’s decision to wear it on a London red carpet presented the design in a much more formal environment.
Qualley’s choice quickly generated discussion online. Social-media reactions ranged from amusement and confusion to appreciation for the unconventional styling. Publications covering the appearance focused particularly on the fact that the actress appeared almost barefoot despite wearing Chanel footwear.
The unusual shoes also attracted attention because red-carpet footwear is traditionally designed to provide a clear combination of fashion and physical support. Chanel’s design instead places the emphasis on minimalism and visual effect, leaving much of the foot visible. That contrast helped make the footwear the most discussed element of Qualley’s otherwise understated black ensemble.
The appearance also illustrates how runway pieces can move into celebrity fashion and gain renewed attention. The Chanel sandals had already become a widely discussed item following their debut in Biarritz. Qualley’s appearance provided one of their first major celebrity outings and introduced the design to a broader red-carpet audience.
According to reporting from Vogue, the barefoot sandals are not currently commercially available, making Qualley’s appearance particularly notable as a high-fashion showcase rather than a conventional product launch.
For Chanel, the moment also reflects Blazy’s continuing approach to the house’s collections under his creative direction: taking familiar fashion categories and reworking their proportions and construction. In Qualley’s case, the result was a red-carpet look in which the dress followed recognizable Chanel eveningwear codes while the footwear challenged the conventional definition of what a sandal should be.
The result was a fashion moment that attracted attention precisely because of its simplicity. Qualley did not wear an elaborate pair of heels or statement boots. Instead, she stepped onto the London red carpet in footwear that left most of her feet uncovered, making Chanel’s minimalist design impossible to overlook.
