Condé steps out

On a simmering hot summer's evening in Moscow, there is no better spot to chill out than Red October on the Moskva river. This former Soviet chocolate factory has been converted into a complex of cutting-edge art galleries, bars, clubs and restaurants, sprawling over a peninsula just southwest of the Kremlin. Cut to a midweek evening at the end of July, when we picked our way through the gridlocked traffic on the embankment, en route to the roof deck at Gipsy Bar and the Condé Nast Russia summer soiree.

Plenty of fab footwear, naturellement. Like these super-cool Michael Kors black leather sandals with gold buckles (above), accessorised to perfection with fire-engine red midi-skirt and pedi.

Vogue beauty queen Rita rocked up in studded suede Valentino stilettos (above). The owner of the beautiful and elegant tattoo below took advantage of the heat to display it in all its glory in transparent designer jelly shoes by Sonia Rykiel.  

Flats vs heels? A pretty even split, but tootsies were revealed in a rainbow of striking summery hues, including turquoise (above) and the deep mauve of Voguette Katya (below).

Popping out of the office at lunchtime, I'd clocked a fantastic pair of strappy black bondage heels on the street. So I was delighted to encounter them again at the party, and to find out that their owner (below) is from GQ and the shoes are from Alexander Wang. No wonder I'd been smitten on Kamergersky Pereulok.

It's always a pleasure to spot a pair of Melissas, and these (below) are original and charming – and look exactly as if they were designed for relaxing on a summer deck with a mojito somewhere out of shot.

Voguette Olesya has a connoisseur's eye for a heel and is a canny shopper to boot (see more Olesya at the Vogue Art Party here). Love these teal suede cage bootees, not to mention her excellent green pedi.

Last word goes to the chaps, for a change. Ivan in his Armani brogues shows exactly how to look stylish whilst flashing just the right amount of ankle to keep cool – in every sense of the word.