The sheer, fishnet-style shoe you probably thought was just a weird airport flex is officially taking over the Spring and Summer 2026 season. Mesh ballet flats are the surprise cool-girl shoe of the year. Anne Hathaway, Margot Robbie, and Jennifer Lawrence are wearing them everywhere right now, proving the see-through update to the classic ballet flat silhouette feels distinctly fresh and modern.
They started out as a highly controversial choice. A lot of critics initially dismissed the footwear as too fragile or bizarre for everyday use. But Margot Robbie heavily popularized the look over the last year. She styled them constantly, wearing them for both casual maternity wear and high-profile international travel. Her outfits proved they offer a highly breathable, lightweight alternative to standard heavy sneakers when the temperatures rise.
The style has completely saturated the fashion market. The shift is undeniable, especially since an E! News anchor report highlighting Anne Hathaway, Margot Robbie, and Jennifer Lawrence as the primary drivers of the summer shoe trend confirmed these flats are now the ultimate French girl essential. They transition perfectly from vacation resorts straight to city street style.
If you want to trace the origin of the hype, look directly at the luxury fashion house Alaïa. Their Mesh Mary Jane Ballerina Flats started this entire movement and quickly became a cult-collected status symbol among Hollywood insiders. Those specific designer originals retail around $890–$950. The intense demand at the top of the market successfully cascaded down the retail ladder. Accessible contemporary brands like Farm Rio and Le Monde Béryl are now dropping their own iterations, meaning the sheer flat aesthetic is officially inescapable this summer.