At the Charlotte Ronson runway show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City in September 2012, British singer-songwriter Natalia Kills stepped out in a sharply styled black-and-white look anchored by a pair of Yves Saint Laurent “Palais Mohawk” suede pumps.
The sculptural platform heels — finished with the style’s signature mohawk-inspired fringe detail at the back — echoed the dramatic shoe silhouettes that dominated the early 2010s fashion scene.
Natalia Kills sharpened her monochrome Fashion Week look with towering Yves Saint Laurent “Palais Mohawk” pumps, balancing structured tailoring and rolled leather trousers with the dramatic suede platforms in New York City on September 7, 2012 (Credit: Michael Carpenter / WENN)
Standing at just 5’1½” (156.2 cm) with a US shoe size 6.5, Natalia Kills often used towering platform heels to amplify the sharp, theatrical edge of her personal style.
Her structured handbag, monochrome palette, and high-platform pumps gave the outfit a polished, downtown feel while keeping the focus firmly on the shoes.
A closer look at the Yves Saint Laurent “Palais Mohawk” pumps reveals the sculptural platform silhouette and the shoe’s striking fringed heel detail, which gave the otherwise classic black pumps a rebellious early-2010s edge
The appearance also tied neatly into her visual identity at the time. Natalia wore the same Yves Saint Laurent pumps in her “Mirrors” music video, turning the statement heels into one of the signature footwear choices of her early career.
The Yves Saint Laurent “Palais Mohawk” pumps combined rounded platform toes with exaggerated stiletto heels and a signature mohawk-inspired fringe trim that transformed a classic pump into a statement runway-era design
From Mohawk Pumps to Platform Icons: Yves Saint Laurent’s Statement-Heel Era
Natalia Kills’ black suede “Palais Mohawk” pumps capture a moment when Yves Saint Laurent platforms were everywhere — on red carpets, music-video sets, and celebrity street-style shoots. With their towering soles, rounded toes, and dramatic heel details, these shoes turned simple outfits into sharply defined fashion statements.
👠 Explore Yves Saint Laurent Platform Pumps & Statement Heels:
- 🖤 Kylie Minogue’s Yves Saint Laurent “Palais Mohawk” pumps showed the same black suede platform silhouette with dramatic goat-hair fringe running down the back of the heel.
- 🎤 Britney Spears danced in nude Yves Saint Laurent “Tribtoo” pumps, proving how the house’s towering platform heels became a defining celebrity shoe of the early 2010s.
- 🎸 Christina Aguilera leaned into rocker-chic style with YSL Tribtoo platform pumps, another Stefano Pilati-era silhouette known for its hidden platform and dramatic height.
- ✨ Jessica Alba’s Saint Laurent “Candy” platform sandals carried that same love of bold height into the Hedi Slimane era, with chunky heels, bow details, and polished street-style appeal.
- ☕ Heidi Klum’s off-duty Saint Laurent “Candy” platforms turned raw-hem denim into a sharper fashion moment with the help of a five-inch heel and sculptural platform sole.