Best of Boston

2021 Best Shoe Designer

Thom Solo

When would you ever wear a ruched periwinkle thigh-high boot? When would you not, Thom Solo would respond. His Elton John-meets-Michelangelo designs have graced the feet of Lady Gaga, Kelly Clarkson, and Britney Spears, among others, and even got a showcase in the MFA’s “Gender Bending Fashion” exhibit in 2019. This year Solo poured his pandemic-lockdown energy into the Nostalgia collection, an explosively creative line of caged heels, loafer-style Mary Janes, and, yes, ruched thigh-highs.