This unorthodox footwear is a shoe-in to be the hottest in Hollywood this season.
Sock shoes — which are, as the name implies, shoes that look like socks — are the controversial footwear suddenly and bewilderingly preferred by comfort-chic-loving celebrities such as Rihanna and Matty Healy.
The sight of bare socks hitting the pavement is jarring, to say the least, but has somehow become the pinnacle of minimalist chic.
“It gives good strange,” Amy Smilovic, the founder and creative director of the luxe womenswear brand Tibi, told The Post.
The brand introduced its Borg sock shoe in the spring 2024 collection, which Smilovic described as a “natural migration” from the age-old socks and sandals combination.
Similarly, Rihanna was spotted in May wearing Bottega Veneta’s $1,100 iteration of the knit socks-with-soles, paired with a matching athleisure ensemble from the New York label Awake NY.
The 1975 frontman Healy was also photographed sporting a pair of the sock-shoe hybrids while out and about in Los Angeles earlier this month.
Just last week, Dick Van Dyke, 98, graced the red carpet at Carol Burnett’s handprint ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre in — you guessed it — orthopedic footwear akin to the highly divisive barefoot shoes that are beloved by running enthusiasts.
Tibi’s Borg shoe differs from its competitors’ in its shape — the addition of a leather exterior to mimic the appearance of a low-profile ballet flat gives the illusion of two pieces while being functional footwear all built into one.
“Anything that makes me look twice and pique my curiosity is always going to win me over,” Smilovic said.
And New Yorkers are no different. Wearing the Borg shoes down Sixth Avenue raised some eyebrows and even got a few chuckles — though I’m unsure if it was the footwear or the brouhaha of my impromptu photoshoot.
Admittedly, I was prepared to bristle at the sight of the Frankenshoes, but they looked shockingly chic with a pair of butter-yellow mini shorts. The ballet flat and crew sock combination emulated the viral “balletcore” aesthetic beloved by Gen Z.
“The über femininity of a silky pleated skirt, or the bareness of a slip dress, is offset with the oddity of this constructed sock shoe,” Smilovic said.
The shoes were, unsurprisingly, quite comfortable — they’re basically socks, after all — but the jury’s still out on whether the comfort would last more than a few blocks during a June scorcher. In 90-degree heat, the sock shoes were a bit too warm for this busy New Yorker eager for air conditioning.
And Tibi isn’t the only brand that’s been one step ahead. Luxury labels have released their own iterations of sock shoes over the past year, many of which mimic the appearance of thermal ankle socks with a rubber sole slapped on the undercarriage.
Balenciaga has become known for its form-fitting sock shoes over the years, but the fashion house unveiled a new pair of sock sneakers in its fall 2024 collection, which retail for $975.
Bottega Veneta also sells multiple knit iterations of sock boots, many of which are sold out, as well as a heeled version. Meanwhile, retailers such as Leset offer a sock boot, as does Kanye West’s brand Yeezy, which released the Yeezy Pods.
While you may wonder how to keep your sock shoes clean — as any New Yorker would know, even the most cautious sneakerhead will dirty their white kicks on the streets of Manhattan — it helps that the A-list wearers are chauffeured around the city, not subject to stained subway cars or garbage-ridden curbs.
As Vogue put it, the sock shoes could serve as “a casual signaling of someone’s status.”
I, however, did not have the luxury of hopping into the backseat of a sleek SUV, and my plebeian social standing was apparent as I navigated the fast-paced sidewalks in the sweltering, midday heat.
The stares the shoes seemingly elicited, however, made me feel almost famous — or as close to Rihanna as I’ll ever be.
