Blueprint of a Trend: How Selena Gomez’s 2016 Soebedar Mesh Pumps Defined a Footwear Era

While in Paris during Fashion Week on March 9, 2016, Selena Gomez was photographed leaving a photo studio in a look that balanced statement clothing with understated footwear.

Although her red Louis Vuitton leather trousers immediately drew attention, the outfit was grounded by a pair of sleek black pumps from Italian footwear label Soebedar.

Selena Gomez balanced the striking color and texture of her red leather trousers with understated black pumps and a streamlined navy coat in Paris on March 9, 2016 (Credit: WENN)

Gomez paired the trousers with a fitted Wolford top, a long navy coat, a Louis Vuitton bag, and Dior sunglasses. The restrained accessories allowed the sharp silhouette of the outfit—and the pointed-toe shoes peeking beneath the leather pants—to remain the focus.

Leaving a Paris photo studio during Fashion Week, Selena Gomez combined minimalist black separates with statement-making Louis Vuitton leather pants (Credit: WENN)

The appearance offered a good example of how a simple black pump can balance one of fashion’s more difficult pieces to style.

Rather than competing with the bold color and texture of the trousers, Gomez’s Soebedar heels added structure and polish while keeping the look wearable beyond the runway.

The airy mesh upper gave the Soebedar “Shania” pumps a lighter, more contemporary feel than traditional patent-leather stilettos (Credit: WENN)

Founded by designer Sieta Soebedar, the Italian-made footwear label became known for combining traditional craftsmanship with modern materials and clean, feminine silhouettes.

The “Shania” pump was one of the brand’s signature designs, using sheer mesh panels and glossy patent-leather accents to give a classic pointed-toe heel a lighter, more contemporary appearance.

That same year, Jaime King exuded elegance in a delicate light-blue floral lace dress paired with silver Soebedar “Shania” pumps at a documentary premiere in Hollywood.

Selena Gomez’s Soebedar “Shania” pumps paired sheer mesh panels with glossy patent-leather trim, creating a modern contrast against her bold red Louis Vuitton trousers (Credit: WENN)

The contrast between the sheer mesh and patent-leather trim helped distinguish the “Shania” from a traditional black pump.

While understated compared to Gomez’s red leather Louis Vuitton trousers, the shoes added texture and visual interest without competing with the rest of the outfit—a balance that made them particularly well suited to Fashion Week street style.

Selena also wore the same pumps during an appearance in London, pairing them with black Alice + Olivia jeans and a crisp white button-down layered beneath a cashmere Barrie cape sweater.

The Italian-made Soebedar “Shania” pump reimagined the classic black stiletto with transparent mesh construction and a sharply pointed silhouette

Although Soebedar never achieved the name recognition of larger luxury shoe houses, the “Shania” became one of the brand’s most recognizable styles.

Celebrities including Kendall Jenner, Mandy Moore, and Kristen Stewart were also photographed wearing versions of the design, helping establish the mesh-paneled pump as a distinctive alternative to the classic patent stiletto during the mid-2010s.

Why Mesh Pumps Became a Celebrity Shoe Staple

Selena Gomez’s Soebedar pumps fit into a wider mid-2010s red-carpet and Fashion Week trend: sheer mesh heels that kept the polish of a classic pump but felt lighter, sharper, and more modern.

From Soebedar’s barely-there panels to Lanvin’s architectural T-straps and Femme LA’s wraparound silhouettes, these celebrity looks show how mesh pumps moved beyond basic black stilettos.