MANILA, Philippines—Early this summer, Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow made a series of public appearances to promote her film, “Iron Man,” in sexy, ultra-short mini dresses.

What grabbed fashion mongers’ attention more, however, were her choice of gravity-defying, kinky footwear—a different style each day, each provocative as the last: Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, Christian Louboutin and Dior.

There couldn’t have been a clearer indication show-stopping footwear would take away the spotlight from the handbag, the accessory du jour of seasons past. (Bagaholics wouldn’t agree, of course.)

Gladiator sandals, which reigned all summer via knee-high, two-tone styles popularized by Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga, have modified versions for the new season—with stacked heels, for instance, or T-bar straps.

A woman can never be too tall, so that most design houses sent out platform footwear—with exposed or hidden plateaus—in the most show-stopping designs.

Some houses, like Prada (and its Miu Miu bridge line), focused on giving the classic pumps with an interesting twist at the heels. Other designers also gave their heel styles double-take-worthy looks.