The "ugliest shoes" of the season have become one of the hottest trends of summer 2025 – how did that happen?

In 2025, one of the biggest fashion phenomena turned out to be... five-fingered shoes, which were previously considered an oddity. Vibram FiveFingers took the hearts of it-girls and celebrities by storm, proving that fashion today fears neither controversy nor ugliness—on the contrary, it turns them into assets.

A rounded toe like a crystal slipper, a geometric square, or perhaps a cruelly uncomfortable point straight from haute couture? Designers have been playing with shoe shapes for decades, but in 2025, fashion has done something more radical. Instead of concealing the foot, it has exposed it to the fullest. We're talking about five-toed shoes . Yes, exactly, the ones where each toe has its own "compartment."

Maison Margiela had already fantasized about lasts in the form of the Tabi , but the it-girls of 2025 opted for something even more peculiar – the Vibram FiveFingers . The result? One of the world's strangest models suddenly became one of the most frequently purchased fashion items in the world.

Vibram FiveFingers - five-finger shoes are the hit of 2025 / Facebook, Vibram FiveFingers UK

In the second quarter of 2025, Vibram FiveFingers were ranked 5th in the prestigious Lyst Index ranking , which analyzes what fashion fans are really looking for.

As a reminder, these anatomical oddities were originally designed for barefoot runners . Their history dates back to 2006, and for a long time, they were more a symbol of athletic outsiderhood than fashion sophistication.

But as we know, fashion tends to draw from the margins what's strange, uncomfortable, and unsettling. Crocs ? Once embarrassing, now everyone wants to collaborate with them. Trail shoes for mountaineering ? Now a must-have for every fan of the Gorpcore aesthetic. Their success is a triumph of the ugly shoe theory —the principle that the more controversial the design, the greater the viral potential. Styled nonchalantly—with suit trousers, tube socks, or a miniskirt—they suddenly cease to be bizarre. They become… intriguing.

The trend has gained approval from the most important judging panel—celebrities. It's been spotted on Doechii and BLACKPINK's Jennie , and Instagram accounts dedicated to styling these unusual footwear are growing.

Luxury fashion houses? Balenciaga presented its own version at its 2020 Paris show, proving that the aesthetic of sporty functionalism can be haute couture.

Let's be honest—this isn't a shoe for everyone. But maybe that's the point? In times of overabundance and copycat TikTok styles , expressing yourself with something that looks like shoes made for Frodo becomes an act of fashion courage. Today, it's a manifestation of individualism, a refusal to accept predictability.