From beaches to fashion week, fashion is only now embracing flip-flops

The question was on my mind on a recent flight, as I sat behind three young women who boarded the plane carrying brand-new flip-flops still bound together by a plastic loop. In Copenhagen, Denmark, for fashion week this past week, I saw countless others.

The footwear – the stalwarts of bodega runs and beach vacations – appeared on the feet of people dressed in refined, tailored garments as well as those in breezy skirts and jeans. These shoes went to runway shows and then out to dinner.

What Happened

They traversed gravel, cobblestone and (perhaps truer to their original purpose) sand. Most surprising, though, was just how many different iterations of flip-flops I saw.

• Many have balked at The Row’s US$690 (approximately RM2,824) flip-flop, but on the streets of Copenhagen, the existence of more high-end versions of the shoe was a given.

• I asked one woman if she worried that the appearance of dirty feet would spoil her otherwise flawless outfit.

• There were leather flip-flops, platform flip-flops, flip-flops with kitten heels, flip-flops with designer labels embossed on the top.

What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

• Continued reporting by The Star as more details emerge