You could say the Ginza started it. Back in 2019, The Row introduced its now signature sandal, with a Noughties-inspired chunky sole and an even chunkier price tag. Those who assumed even luxury shoppers would balk at the prospect of paying close to a grand (£960 to be precise) for what was essentially a flip-flop would be proven wrong: The Row die-hards were persuaded by the cushioned leather sole and the velvet strap, and presumably, the priceless-in-certain-circles kudos that comes with an Olsen-approved shoe.
Six years on, some might say we’ve entered even more surreal footwear territory. The Row recently unveiled its Dune sandal: a grosgrain thong flip-flop with a rubber sole that, while very nice, is barely distinguishable from the sorts of pairs you can pick up for about a tenner by the beach, typically found next to the postcards and pool floats. The price? £670. (“I gasped,” said a “repulsed” Stella Bugbee, editor of the New York Times style section.)
Questions of value and ethics aside, the reality is that only a very small proportion of the population will ever be spending upwards of £500 on flip-flops. But there’s one side-effect to the rise of luxe takes on this most basic of summer essentials that we can all benefit from. “It has made it acceptable to wear flip-flops with any outfit and in any setting, whereas once that might have felt like fashion sacrilege,” argues the Dubai-based stylist Kate Hazell, who has been living in Muji’s simple rubber flip-flops this season – so much so she’s declaring it a frontrunner for the shoe of the summer.
Vogue asked Kate to make the case for the bargain rubber shoe as a summer essential.
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Firstly, where do you stand on the luxury designer flip-flop?
I can’t pretend I’m totally anti. It’s because I saw the Christopher Esber flip-flops (£250) that I was looking for a transluscent pair, and I love The Row – I have the elasticated ballet flats, and I wore them to death last summer. A little bit of me would love the Dunes… but I just can’t part with that money for flip-flops – what if they broke?! I would much rather invest in a bag or a piece of ready-to-wear. Summer is all about letting loose and having fun, and to me, wearing a pair of £700 flip-flops sounds really quite stressful.
What’s so great about the Muji flip-flop?
It almost feels like the Dune with the beige sole and the black strap, but in reverse. The strap is clear but looks kind of cloudy – it reminds me of the butter yellow shade everyone’s obsessed with right now. They essentially look like an old-school flip-flop, but they’re so clean and plain they go with literally everything. Plus, they’re outrageously comfortable.
What are you wearing them with?
I’ve been wearing them out and about in the day with wide-legged jeans or skirts, and I wore them out to dinner last week. They’re so minimal and neutral, it almost makes it easier to get dressed. The true appeal of the cheap flip-flop is that it lets everything else about your outfit shine.
So you’re doing a formal flip-flop?
Absolutely! The thing about The Row is it has made it acceptable to wear flip-flops with any outfit and in any setting, whereas once that might have felt like fashion sacrilege. Now, you can wear them and still look and feel elevated.
What are the summer wardrobe investments that are worth splashing out on?
I think it’s worth spending money on a really good quality cotton shirt. I have a wardrobe full of men’s striped Oxford shirts from Comme des Garçons. They’re light, they’re breathable, they don’t crease. The best.
What other shoes are you loving right now?
Honestly? Just these. At this point I have two pairs because I panic about losing them. Also, I just bought some for my husband…
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