A-Lister Raises Eyebrows With ‘Unsanitary’ Red Carpet Shoes

Stefanie Keenan / Getty Images for COS An actress toed the line between tacky and trendy with her bizarre choice of red-carpet footwear.

Margaret Qualley attended the London premiere of her new film, The Dog Stars , on August 20 wearing Chanel’s controversial “barefoot” sandals .

The 31-year-old star, whose parents are actress Andie MacDowell and former model Paul Qualley, became the first major celebrity to wear the French fashion house’s divisive design.

She wore a black Chanel gown with a plunging V-neckline and allover fringe detailing for the occasion.

She wore her deep-brown hair straight and kept her makeup simple, with a diffused rosy-brown lip color, a sheer wash of rose blush, and delicately winged black eyeliner.

But it was her footwear—or lack thereof—that immediately grabbed attention.

The style, often called “barefoot sandals,” features a minimalist leather heel cap with thin straps that tie around the ankle.

It leaves the entire sole and toes completely bare.

Fashion commentator Nicky Campbell, whose followers call him “the Joan Rivers of TikTok,” quickly expressed his enthusiasm in an Instagram video .

Campbell, 29, said Qualley looks “stunning in Chanel,” adding that he is “deeply obsessed” with the style.

His comment section was divided, however.

One follower wrote, “Shoes? They’re heel pads at best,” while another said, “Totally unusable.

I get the whimsy, but these aren’t it.” Meanwhile, another commenter raised safety concerns, writing, “Not healthy for foot care,” noting “red carpets are nasty,” and worrying about accidentally stepping on glass or nails.

Fellow critics deemed her footwear “unsanitary.” Still, others defended the Chanel shoe.