Fashion on Fifth: Ode to the tabi

Photos by Jane Lewis, logo by HMAC, and illustration by Vidhi Kontham

This week’s Fashion on Fifth is dedicated to my favorite subversive footwear style, the tabi! A tabi is defined by a split toe that separates a person’s big toe from the rest, just like a flip flop does. The tabi’s split toe is thought to promote agility and mobility. (Yes, they are actually comfortable!) However, in 1988, Belgian designer Martin Margiela was inspired by the Japanese tabi style and debuted it on the runway for the first time. Shock, revolt, then obsession followed. The rest is history.