Dua Lipa is officially a fan of the most divisive shoes in fashion, and yes, we're talking about the Margiela Tabi shoes. Love 'em or hate 'em, there's no escaping the chokehold they have on the fashion industry. The split-toe shoes are undeniably iconic and beloved by fashion editors, celebrities (like Cardi B), street style stars, and everyone in between.
Dua Lipa gave the Tabi a fun twist on a recent outing. Instead of donning the more commonly worn boots or the flat version of the Tabi, the singer opted for a black Tabi Mary Jane with a thin ankle strap and chunky heel. At first, a Tabi doesn't exactly scream preppy; they're more "front row at a fashion show" than "tennis whites," after all. However, Lipa paired her pumps with thick white socks, toning down the high-fashion vibes and transforming them into a sweet, preppy footwear mainstay.
Though Dua preppy-fied her Tabis, she skipped preppier pieces like plaid blazers, pleated skirts, and rugby stripes in favor of a glamorous black coat and top-handle bag. She styled the shoes with sheer black tights and an oversized jacquard print coat for an added dose of elegance.
The Tabi shoe silhouette has been around longer than Lipa herself. Inspired by 15th-century Japanese worker shoes, the Margiela version hit the shelves in 1988. (Lipa was born in 1995.) The shoes have always been popular among the fashion clique, but they reached the larger masses when they went viral on TikTok in late summer 2023 after a TikTok user claimed a guy she briefly dated stole her shoes — and then gave them to his girlfriend!
Tabis will always be a "fashion person" favorite, and honestly, it's kind of surprising we haven't seen Lipa in them yet, given she's basically the definition of a fashion girl — one who isn't scared of more divisive footwear. (Remember those pierced UGG boots?) We are in a new Dua era, so perhaps this is just the tip of the Tabi iceberg.
