There’s no doubt about it: Alexander Wang is maturing and nothing tells the story of his unstoppable growth like his shoes. For spring, the grungy downtown tomboy has evolved into the savvy, pavement-pounding lady – she’s still a bad girl, but it’s disguised beneath a veneer of polish.

These sandals and pumps are stark and sleek, architectural and modern. Yes, the design revolves around the clean, vented straps, but it’s just as much about the negative space that has been created. No matter what your style (whether refined badass or lady, through and through), you’ll find multiple occasions for the adaptable Nadia sandal ($525), from laidback afternoons to dinners out. On the other hand, the parchment-pale Joan mule ($545) requires precious steps to keep the white white-white. You can’t veer from the path with this crisp number – one streak of dirt will just look sad – which is reason enough for me to nix it and stick with Alex’s not-so-basic black.

Available for pre-order at Barneys New York (expect delivery in March).