Will New Zealand follow the 'ugly shoe' summer?

It’s been a great year for feet, particularly toes.

If you followed the fashion of the Northern Hemisphere summer, a predictor for what might be cool for New Zealand’s summer, you likely saw shoes that might typically be categorised as offensive to the eye.

I’m talking about styles such as the Vibram FiveFingers shoe (think of a glove but for your feet) or the split-toe shoe, where the big toe is singled out from the others with its own compartment. There were a lot of clunky, wilderness-style shoes that are a continuation of Gorpcore, where you mix sports or outdoor wear with something not sporty or outdoorsy (think floral dress with hiking boots).

Toe rings were also seen on celebrities and the runways of Burberry and Chloé. Footwear known as "jelly shoes" for their clear plastic mesh or straps are another way to show off your toes while still slightly covering them up.

Those adopting the trend have been purposely choosing footwear that is provocative and disruptive of norms, says Emma Gleason, the writer behind the culture newsletter Crust.

“...possibly because clothes have gotten simpler or more feminine, so they are looking for ugly footwear to kind of counteract that and provide a bit of balance. That’s my theory, anyway.”

Gleason owns a pair of Nike Air Rift split-toe shoes that she bought in 2019. The modern split-toe shoe first hit the market in 1988 when the brand Maison Margiela released its iconic Tabi shoe, which took inspiration from a traditional Japanese shoe. The Tabi has experienced various boom and bust cycles of popularity, according to Gleason.

However, “they were always quite a niche item...” she says.

At every fashion insider party Gleason goes to, she normally spots at least one pair of split-toe shoes.

“New Zealanders are very comfortable with feet, I think. So I don't know if those sorts of footwear items are as subversive here as elsewhere.”

Gleason recalled the shocked response from many when Crocs and Birkenstocks became fashionable about a decade ago. Now, those shoe styles are thoroughly mainstream.

“There’s always been an ugly shoe. I see it like an Overton Window where it just keeps shifting, so you get comfortable with something, and then you need to find something more weird because what was weird and ugly [before] now everyone is wearing it.”

An issue for New Zealanders wanting to embrace either the split-toe shoe or something like the Vibram FiveFingers is availability. There are few places to try the shoes on, according to Eugenie Aran, a Wellington-based stylist.

“...when it comes to something like a split-toe shoe, I doubt many everyday Kiwis would happily commit to a $600 online purchase without trying it on first, especially when it’s coming from across the globe, with all the challenges of exchanges and returns.”

She warned against going for cheap copy-cat versions that populate the top of any Google search.

“It’s worth considering that these brands are not traditional shoemakers and don’t have the podiatry knowledge that would actually improve your grip or stability.”

One of the few places to stock the real Tabi is Zambesi, where a split-toe Tabi boot from Maison Margiela retails for just under $2000. A few running-focus sneaker stores stock FiveFingers.

Unlike the split-toe shoe, Vibram FiveFingers are part of the Gorpcore trend and are hugely practical, says Aran. Not only does Vibram makes their own shoes that are associated with the barefoot running movement, but Vibram-made soles have also appeared on other shoe brands.

“Vibram soles have a technical value because of the years of research that went into manufacturing them for tough terrain to enhance grip, traction, durability, and performance.”

But again, the Vibram Fivefingers shoes as daywear might be left to those who are really into trying something new, says Gleason.

“They have been sort of circulating and becoming more popular in fashion circles. I haven’t seen them here yet, but I’m sure we will.”

Aran doesn’t own a pair of the FiveFinger Vibrams but is a fan of the larger Gorpcore style. She often pairs Salomon or La Sportiva trainers with, say, jeans and a trench coat. The key is balancing it out with something not Gorpcore, she says.

“Don’t hesitate to clash it with a corporate oversized blazer, or even a romantic piece.

“Maybe that floral summer dress your grandma gave you, hoping you’d wear it.”

Tracy Ilton, a stylist in Christchurch, sees feet and even toes as the new “statement maker". However, her clients are typically older, and she doesn’t see any of them embracing split-toe shoes or Vibram FiveFingers.

“Even for older women who might not want to wear a split toe shoe, for example, they could look at having their toes more exposed, you might want to bling them up by looking at things like toe rings...

“We are using our feet more as a visual statement than as an afterthought.”