Everyone is talking about how weird shoes are back. There’s the outrageously long-toed Brigitte pumps, courtesy of Saint Laurent, the clear PVC ankle booties at Loewe, and let’s not forget the absence of arches altogether at Chanel Cruise 2027. Yet there’s another offbeat trend emerging. Let’s call it the “soft sole.” These are controversial yet comforting silhouettes—think hoof-like NikeSkims Rifts, green Phoebe Philo flip-flops, Vibram FiveFingers (toe shoes), and, now, the revival of Miu Miu’s quirky bubble-sole sneakers.
First released in the early 2000s, the Miu Miu rubber-sole shoe marked a shift toward stylish yet utilitarian dressing for women. Then, like now, fear and excitement around technological innovation were mirrored on the runways, resulting in the rise of aspirational minimalism, with a futuristic twist. I’m talking shiny nylon pants, high-fashion fanny packs, and tiny glasses inspired by The Matrix, along with seemingly practical footwear to match. This trend re-emerged during the pandemic, when fashion fans had a yen for pragmatic clothes and more than enough time to dig through the virtual archives. Along with a revival of vintage Prada sport pants and Miu Miu fanny packs came the original bubble-sole sneakers and their leather buckled-boot sisters—sought-after deadstock shoes that quickly met their demise when Depop fashion girlies realized that their rubber bases did not, in fact, outlast the millennium. (They are now playfully referred to as “crumble soles.”)
