French label Y/Project is best known for their extreme love affair with the iconic UGG boot, but it repeatedly takes fashion to the next level.
The elevated approach to deconstructing familiar garments in new and bizarre ways has garnered the brand a bit of a cult, and this time, it fascinated fashionistas with the latest polarizing design: shoes that flaunt just one big toe.
These ‘open-toe’ shoes are retailing at around $1,000 and it turns out that fans love it, as it is selling put fast.
The strange shoes originally appeared as part of the Paris-based streetwear label’s Spring Summer 2018 collection, but this year, they became even more popular and influential on the catwalk, gaining a huge amount of momentum ever since.
For Spring/Summer 2019, Glenn Martens paired them with his signature offbeat garments – like deconstructed denim with two waists.
When the shoes made their way onto luxury e-commerce sites, most of them sold out in record time.
Many of the styles have already sold out online, but you can find a rosebud-printed pair in white leather now retailing on Stylebop for an astonishing $985, and the similar shoes in plain black are on sale in one size only, slashed for $572.
The retailer refers to the style as “equal parts feminine cool and fashion-conscious.” A red version of the patent leather pumps sold out on Browns and FarFetch, after debuting for $664.
The bizarre trend follows an old-style by Céline, which concealed just the big toe and left all others in the open, and it can also be traced back to the closed-toe Tabi boot, a creation of Maison Margiela and first worn by models at Martin Margiela’s debut show in 1988.
This brand has captured the headlines many times before and is favorite of the Kardashians and Gigi Hadid.
It has previously launched $300 denim hot pants, $260 earrings that look like Slinky toys, crotchless jeans, and we must mention the collaboration with Ugg that saw thigh-high versions of the sheepskin boots.
Their latest shoes have been posted on the feed of ‘Crimes against Shoemanity’, an Instagram page run by London-based creative Rebel Royale.
Earlier this year, GQ even predicted that this style would rock the menswear world as well, after Australian actor Cody Fern sported a pair of big-toe shoes at the Golden Globes.
Undoubtedly, this French label and their newest footwear trend are dividing fashion fans all over the world.
So, what do you think, would you buy yourself a pair?
Sources:
www.dailymail.co.uk
www.papermag.com
www.today.com
www.thesun.co.uk