Olivia Rodrigo was recently spotted wearing the ‘oh-so-polarising’ Maison Margiela Tabis on a day out and about in London. Although she kept it casual in a black t-shirt and baggy mom jeans, it was her shoes that took the cake. The black patent-leather version of the signature Margiela flats adorned the hitmaker’s feet.
Nothing has had the Internet quite divided as the Maison Margiela Tabis. But now with so many celebrities jumping on the Tabis bandwagon, the tide may be turning over. According to the brand’s website, when the Tabi boots first surfaced in 1998, it was one of the first times Western show-goers had seen a shoe with a cleft toe before.
Inspired by the Japanese tabi socks, these popular shoes feature a cleft toe and are available in multiple other forms, including Mary Janes, sneakers, and a variety of boots.
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Celebrities wearing the Tabis
From being an option for avant-garde clients like Björk and Chloë Sevigny, The Tabis have now been worn by celebrities like Zendaya, and Cardi B, even making an appearance on the web series Emily in Paris. Let’s take a look at the celebrities who have donned these shoes recently.
Zendaya
In a casual Instagram story, Zendaya flaunted the divisive white leather split-toe sandals while wearing breezy baggy pants.
The footwear was undoubtedly the main focus of the post. Contrary to the more common boot style, the Tabi ballet flat has a single stitch motif and a tiny bow-like feature at the toe.
Cardi B
Whether it is for a date night or community service, Cardi B has frequently relied on her trusty Tabis.
Once, she posted photos of Offset and herself wearing coordinated date-night outfits, including matching tops and puffer jackets in pink for Cardi, and classic beige for Offset.
But Cardi’s white Tabi heels were the star of the show.
The Tabis’ split-toe design has been termed everything from “ugly-chic” to “camel-toe couture,” so it’s only fitting that over three decades after its debut, it has become one of Margiela’s best-selling pieces. The endorsement of these famous people makes it appear like Tabi is here to stay.
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