Time to embrace 50 shades of nude
Nude shoes might be universally flattering – but human skin tones are not universal, says Krissy Turner
Nude is a concept, not a colour,” the luxury designer Christian Louboutin said last year, when the brand extended its nude shoe offering to include chic pointed flats in seven shades of caramels and creams. Why? Because, as the adage goes, there’s nothing more leg-lengthening than a nude shoe. Meghan Markle wears hers with cocktail dresses and leather leggings alike. The Duchess of Cambridge wears hers with, well, everything, single-handedly boosting LK Bennett’s sales, and Anna Wintour, the editor of US Vogue, is rarely seen out of her nude manolos.
But, as Louboutin spotted, there are nudes and there are nudes – no two skin tones are exactly alike, and will probably change from winter to summer. Generally, the term “nude” is used to describe pinky-beige, a dozen shades lighter than my own mixedrace skin, and also miles from a match for my colleagues, from the fairskinned to Asian; the idea of a “universal” nude is no more achievable than a foundation shade that will work on anyone. Thankfully, Louboutin isn’t alone – high street giant Asos offers classic court shoes in four skin tones, and elsewhere, brands are now offering a scale of nude shades in everything from make-up to lingerie.
Ade Hassan, a 31-year-old former Equity senior associate, launched her underwear label, Nubian Skin, three years ago, when having to layer a camisole under white shirts to hide her bra inspired underwear that caters for a range of skin tones. Her website launched with four carefully considered shades (café au lait, caramel, cinnamon and, the darkest shade, berry) in a range of bras, pants,
and even hosiery. “The reaction to the brand has been truly overwhelming,” says Hassan. “The demand is there.” That demand has led to a line of shoes – either ballet pumps or heeled courts – in the same shades, and shelf space in House of Fraser and Fenwick of Bond Street.
Shoe label Kahmune, launched last year, matched 10 nudes (each named for a city) to popular shades of foundation; the yellow-toned Rio mirrors make-up brand MAC’S NW35 shade, the slightly paler Bogota, their NW30. The founder, Jamela Acheampong, was frustrated that the term nude was “attributed to a specific shade”, and it seems she’s not the only one: pre-orders for the two shoe styles (a double-strap sandal and court) in her new collection numbered so many that she plans to introduce eight new silhouettes by the end of the year – so you can add backless loafers and slides to your nude shoe-drobe.
Beauty experts are searching for the perfect nude, too. Sonia Haria, The Daily Telegraph’s beauty director, admits to having issues finding make-up to suit the cool, peachy undertones of her Indian skin, but says: “Many beauty brands have become better at understanding the difference in undertones for darker skin types. They’ve realised it can’t just be an added extra shade thrown onto the end of a range – but there’s still some way to go until that’s a given.”
Years ago, at university, a friend and I could only laugh (and email customer services) when the “nude” shapewear knickers I bought showed up like white cycling shorts against my brown legs. Now? Brands are cottoning on, and catering for a variety of skin tones – so when it comes to those leglengthening shoes, the world’s your oyster. Or berry. Or café au lait.