Fashion with sole

High heel strides ahead this fall

	LOUBOUTIN COLLECTION

In this story: Rossi: Shoe 'polish' Choo's open-toed shoes for fall RELATED STORIES, SITES

LONDON (CNN) -- If you're shopping for shoes for fall and winter, think refined, elegant -- almost ladylike.

Designers from London, Paris and Milan are stepping out with shapely shoes that come in strong colors and luxurious textures.

High heels -- "vampy" spikes, stilettos or thick, strong stacks -- are towering above other styles, but the shoe of the season is the sling-back. Parisian designer Christian Louboutin adds glitter and rhinestones to them, mixing their textures.

He says the skins that are new to him come from the sea -- specifically, the waters off Iceland.

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"They have extremely beautiful patterns made out of fishes, so I've been using some catfishes and some different fishes (like) mackerel," he says.

"I think I'm just going to keep the catfishes, which is a mixture between a spotted ostrich and a leopard cat."

Louboutin also sports a '40s-style shoe with a thick T-strap that goes well with pants, he says. His favorite pump has a plunging design -- a sort of decollate for the foot.

"It's a high heel, and it's very low cleavage," he says, "so it gives a sort of sexiness."

	ROSSI COLLECTION

Milan designer Sergio Rossi says he pointed his shoes in a classic direction, stressing clean silhouettes.

"I've designed my shoes so that they go well with the polished look of clothes," he says. "There's a wide range of colors, from steely blue to pretty pinks, cherries, okra and camel. Precious skins, such as crocodile, are lighter this season."

For evening, Rossi focuses on gold, silver and bronze.

"The metallic look has a shimmer and shine, which I like very much," he says. "It is very important in my collection, especially, metallicized python.

The effect looks great with ankle and high-heeled boots."

	CHOO COLLECTION

In London, Jimmy Choo is offering a luxurious and feminine line of footwear. Designer Sandra Choi says women now want open shoes for the cooler seasons: enter the sling-back

"Nowadays, people are a bit more adventurous," she says. "Even more people are leaving their stockings at home and have gone for sandals."

Her evening designs are glamorous, with crystals, beads and expensive leathers. She also does boots in several lengths: ankle, mid-calf and below the knee.

Which does she prefer?

"I think below the knee is more the look for this season ahead," Choi says.

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