Are you guys wearing it in a Japanese culture-influenced way?

Or is everybody buying tabis because they are the new famous pair of shoes of the moment from a very different “cool” brand that makes you look cooler than others when you have it?

Wearing a Margiela Tabi is like wearing the Balenciaga Technoclogs, I don’t think anyone is supposed to believe they invented the shoe, right?

But it doesn’t mean that the desire around tabi shoes has nothing to do with Maison Margiela, the fashion house.

I know that understanding fashion history is a niche interest that we should not expect from the big masses, not even for the fashion fans, because narratives get confused, they get changed by brands with lots of money, and they get distorted to fit around the ideas that are “culturally washed.” That’s a big fact.

As a Brazilian who wears Havaianas every day, which are the simplest footwear made for the masses, I observe people purchasing leather flip-flops from The Row for $890. And none of them believe that The Row invented the flip-flops.

However, I believe that some discussion about tabis being “real tabis” or “fake tabis”—which is, of course, wrong to say that a pair of tabis is fake for not being Maison Margiela—is making us confused about what that trend is about.

Every trend is, at some point, going to be controversial.

The opinions can be about whether or not this item is worth buying, or what the origin of it is, or even about how it is supposed to be worn.

It will get multiple opinions, and people will argue about it on the internet.

With that said, the time has come for the Tabis discussion.

We all feared the day that everyone would desire a pair of tabis and the trend would crash!

Now you can scroll on TikTok and see people with different styles wearing tabis as if they’re beautiful!

P.S: I find it beautiful; rock it!

You can see boho chic tabis!

You can see streetwear tabis!

You can see luxury consumer tabis!

And you can see avant-garde fashion lover tabis!

(the OGs??)

All jokes aside, now everyone is able to enjoy the weird beauty of this shoe; now you can be cool and not mocked for wearing weird shoes around your friends.

But what desire made us all decide to buy tabis now?

Is that the desire to show your love for Japanese culture?

Is that your desire to adopt a look that’s unconventionally beautiful just to shock people around you?

Is that the desire to show everyone your knowledge about old footwear construction?

ORRR

Is it the desire to have the new cool shoe and prove yourself as fashion-passionate?

Is it the desire to show people around about how much of an early adopter you are?

And is Maison Margiela 100% out of that equation?

Is it stupid to believe that Maison Margiela is at least a bit responsible for the tabis being popular now in 2025?

And should we make it as if the brand is not important for the discussion around this new trend?

Maybe my opinion is not 100% made yet.

I understand and totally agree that it’s awesome that more and more brands are developing their own pair of tabi shoes.

Two very popular brands in my country did it, and they look amazing.

I also disagree 1000% with calling non-Margiela Tabis “fake tabis”.

But I need to assume that my first interest in the tabi shoe was not through Japanese cultural history or footwear design research, but through my curiosity about the brand called Maison Margiela and why they are so beloved by the fashion industry.

My desire to have a pair of tabis was not because they are very pretty shoes, but because it was a way of symbolizing to other fashion people that I also admired Martin Margiela’s legacy.

I do love my tabis for being weird, but in fact I wanted the Margiela tabis not because they’re more expensive but because they’re a piece of the brand that I truly admired.

It can be seen as just a shoe; also, it is part of a cultural piece of clothing from a country, but I believe that it can also be seen (for the ones who want to) as a piece of a brand that they love.

None of that needs to exclude the other.

It can sound out of touch, or it can be pointed out as cultural appropriation (an opinion that I believe didn’t exist until the whole TikTokification of the tabi shoes).

Wear your tabis; they look awesome. You do not need to explain to others where your tabis are from.

But if you want to

Whether because it was bought on a trip to Japan! And you love it so much.

Or it is a design from a local brand that you really like, and you were happy to see their idea of a tabi shoe.

Or it is a Maison Margiela tabi that you bought secondhand with a specific design that took you years to find a pair.

Or even if you have a lot of money and just bought it from the Farfetch website because they’re the shoe of the moment and you wanted a pair!

For any of the options above, we’re all wearing our weird shoe together.

I want to know your thoughts about it.

And I hope this does not sound very out of touch, but I got very curious about the people who are hopping on the tabi trends.

What made them want a pair of tabis?

Let me know if you are one of them!

Remembering, here is my safe space, and I would also love to hear your opinions and thoughts, so if you agreed, disagree, or think totally differently from me, feel free to leave a comment here so we can have fun and discuss about fashion, as we love to ove to do. ♡ ତ (´˶• . • ⑅  )ິଓ

If you enjoyed yourself while reading this text, make sure to share it with friends and people you think would like it too. ♡