Has there been a change in the wild 21st-century zeitgeist that has propelled this streetwear staple into global stardom? wore the infamous Margiela Tabis to the earlier in May; Zendaya has been spotted in tabis running errands in LA and New York; mastermind director Greta Gerwig wore them to the world's most prestigious film festival and won the approval of the Internet's critics. Fashion seems to be in a tabi-mania. How did a niche pair of streetwear shoes become an internet sensation that took over in 2024? The tabi shoes were the brainchild of Martin Margiela, the eponymous founder of Maison Margiela, whose provocative, one-of-a-kind captured the collective interest of the fashion industry, leading to the brand's popularity among the fashion crowd.
Surprisingly, it was not who invented the Tabi; in fact, it already existed, even before he was on the fashion map. The generally accepted notion is that tabis were split-toe socks made to be worn with thonged footwear worn in 15th-century Japan, but the tabi was actually a sort of leather shoe made with a single animal hide. Even the earlier form of the word in the Japanese language literally translated to 'single hide’.
The split-toe design was believed to promote balance and circulation in the through the separation of the big toe. Typically, the modified version of the split-toed sock in rubber-soled is known as In 1988, Martin Margiela, after coming back from a trip to Japan, got inspired, made his own version of the tab.
