Style
Reebok and Margiela are making a Kim Kardashian-approved split-toe shoe
Here comes the Tabi Classic Leather.
Margiela and Reebok are once again joining forces to put Tabis where they were not. After turning the Instapump Fury into split-toed high heels and ankle boots last year, the two collaborators have turned their attention to the "Tabi Classic Leather."
The split-toe sneaker features a white painted treatment that echoes Margiela's own footwear and apparel, as revealed by Kim Kardashian on Instagram. It seems Adidas, which still owns Reebok for the time being, is finally leveraging its relationship with Kim to promote its lesser appreciated asset. But no Kardashian co-sign (ko-sign?) is necessary — this Tabi sneaker rocks.
Get weird, split the toe — The Tabi, a Margiela specialty, remains a divisive shoe feature outside of where it originated in Japan — mostly because people are scared of something different. A wedge between the big toe seems either aesthetically foreign or uncomfortable (or both) and less confident dressers may feel they couldn't pull it off even if they dared.
Forget all that. The path to fire fits is paved with risk. Whenever these do drop, which has yet to be determined, you should embrace the Tabi on an undersung classic from Reebok. This will be the Classic Leather's most fashionable moment to date, aided by Margiela's painted and weathered look.
The design language originates from necessity, as Margiela re-painted shoes from previous seasons that had gone unsold. On the Classic Leather, white paint contrasts with well-worn grey accents on the logo badge, tongue, and laces. As you wear the shoe and the paint naturally chips off, it'll look even better and become your own.
Chances are that Margiela's Classic Leather will fall more into the luxury brand's price point than Reebok's. The Instapump Fury footwear sells from $1,150 to $1,490, and we can only hope that the Tabi sneaker falls somewhere below that.
Stay tuned for more details, as Margiela and Reebok should announce their plans for the Tabi Classic Leather in the coming months.
