You can start with a foolproof essential. However, much like the dad shoe trend of the late 2010s, ugly footwear is everywhere you look, applicable and available to everyone of all tastes. Such shoes are often spotted on a celebrity - partly because they’re the clientele who can afford said silhouette, but largely because of the virality that comes with wearing it. Cast your mind back even further, and you’ll remember Vetements‘ highlighter heels, Balenciaga‘s spring-suspended X-Pander sneaker, and the MSCHF Big Red Boot.

Jonathan Anderson takes his kitsch attitude to his work at the Spanish fashion House, LOEWE, where he has produced heels covered in deflated balloons and pumps sitting on an inflated balloon. Albeit opinion-splitting, there’s no denying that this level of fun has permeated the footwear game. Think JW Anderson x Wellipets, the frog-faced clogs that came as part of the designer’s Men’s Autumn Winter 23/Women’s Pre-Fall 23 show. However, over the past two seasons, there has been a resurgence in creativity that’s transcended the runway, gone on to become a viral sensation, landed in stores, and found itself on the feet of people who eschew a “ Quiet Luxury” aesthetic. One man’s trash is another man’s Maison Margiela Tabi Boot. “Ugly” is a strong word, and it’s particularly divisive when it comes to describing shoes.

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