Non-shoes are the coziest style ally for winter 2023
From Hailey Bieber to Kylie Jenner, celebrities choose moon boots, padded boots, UGG and Birkenstock
G-Club
January 23rd, 2023
January 23rd, 2023
We thought we had abandoned slippers in the pandemic period, but here we are again talking about soft footwear with curious and indefinable shapes, so much so that they have earned the nickname non-shoes. These are cozy, comfortable and versatile models, declined in neutral colors and furry textures that from the categories of gorpcore and loungewear are becoming protagonists of luxury, conquering brands such as Jimmy Choo or Prada and many celebrities who sport them both in the city and in the most glamorous ski resorts. From Bella Hadid to Elsa Hosk, from Kendall Jenner to Dua Lipa, from Pernille Teisbaek to Blanca Miró. Every self-respecting cool girl relies on non-shoes to give her look a twist without sacrificing comfort or warmth, juggling the many variations available: clogs, mules, slippers, moon boots, padded boots, ankle boots, ... On vacation in Aspen, Hailey Bieber chose padded boots by Loewe to complete her elegant total black look, consisting of an oversized wool military trench coat by Saint Laurent and skinny leather leggings; while Kylie Jenner, who was relaxing in the same areas, opted for another creation also by the Spanish brand, this time in cream-colored shearling, and paired them with a black vinyl Good American bikini.
In recent times inside our shoe racks we have begun to devote less and less space to pumps or cuissardes and more and more to ugly shoes, footwear that sacrifices an elegant and harmonious aesthetic in exchange for practicality and comfort. We've said goodbye (forever?) to the famous saying "if beautiful you want to look, pains and troubles you must suffer" to slip our feet into creations that are more functional and less glamorous but no less desired by celebrities and fashionistas. In the 1990s, it was Prada that converted us all to the concept of ugly in fashion, a style philosophy that when it comes to footwear has often coincided with Birkenstock sandals (best worn with white socks), the UGGs that Britney and Paris went crazy for in the early 2000s, or many other models that we dared to pull out of the closet only in case of outdoor excursions or to wander around the intimacy of the home. Then came the first collaborations between their main manufacturers and the world of luxury, such as Celine "furkenstocks" or the Crocs revisited by Demna Gvasalia for Balenciaga, convincing first stars and influencers and then all of us mere mortals that, after all, walking around town even without snow with moonboots or leaving the house with a pair of clogs, maybe furry, is no longer taboo. So this great aesthetic reversal that has decreed beautiful what until a few decades ago was considered ugly is the same one that has propelled Birkenstock Bostons to establish themselves as the best-selling shoes on Yoox in 2022 and among the most desired on Lyst, where in the first six months of last year their searches grew by 593 percent.
The most coveted non-shoes of winter 2023 are undoubtedly Loewe Padded boots, Jonathan Anderson's contemporary and surrealist take on the classic after-ski boots that feature a chunky silhouette reminiscent of Loewe viral bomber jacket, a quilted lambskin upper, and a rubber wedge sole. In recent months, the Moon Boot x Alanui capsule has been added to the wishlist, combining Alanui's iconic bandana motif with Moon Boot's distinctive silhouette; the collaboration between Fear of God and Birkenstock; but also of Jimmy Choo's first Snow collection.
Here are 10 non-shoes to add to your shopping list:
LOEWE Padded Leather Boots
980€
PIUMESTUDIO Luna Purple
239€
UGG Classic Mini Platform
170,99€
BIRKENSTOCK Boston Big Buckle
210€
ALANUI X MOON BOOT Boots with Alanui x Moon Boot Print
276€
JIMMY CHOO Yeda monogrammed après-ski boots
950€
YUME YUME Slippers con ruches
242€
AMINA MUADDI Ankle boots
820€
PRADA Suede and shearling snow-boots
990€
