History’s Hottest Shoe: The Origin of Tabi

Fashion always repeats itself

By Nicollette Heath

Photo by: Serenidy Ryan

Tabi flats are the cooler older sister to the classic ballet flat. No matter your opinion on them, there’s no denying that these unique shoes are at the peak of popularity right now.

They are controversial to some people and chic to others. But this trend takeover didn’t appear out of nowhere. Tabis have a long and significant cultural history, dating back hundreds of years to the Edo period of Japan.

The term “tabi” has evolved throughout the centuries to describe a number of split-toe garments. The first tabi iteration dates back to 15th-century Japan, where a leather split-toe sock was made to protect farmers’ feet when wearing wooden thong sandals while farming.

This style quickly spread throughout Edo-era Japan, with different colors representing a certain occupation or social status. With the introduction of cotton, white tabi socks became a favorite among the nobility or upper classes as footwear for special occasions. Merchants, samurai, and laborers still opted for the functional, full-foot leather tabi.

In Japanese culture, wearing tabi shoes carried a wellness benefit. Tabi are associated with greater balance, comfort, and longevity for the wearer due to the split-toe design. The functional and fashionable reputation of tabi contributed to their popularity in Japanese culture and beyond. 

In the 1920s, the first rubber-soled tabi began the evolution into the tabi shoe we know today. But before they were recognized for style, their reputation for physical wellness catapulted them into the mainstream. The first tabi-style sneaker made its debut at the 1951 Boston Marathon when Japanese racer Shigeki Tanaka won wearing custom split-toe running shoes.

His shoes made headlines, and the now-cult-favorite Japanese shoe brand Onitsuka released its first commercially available tabi sneaker in 1953, titled the “marathon sneaker.” Years later, Nike followed suit in 1996 with its Nike Air Rift design, featuring a split-toe silhouette. While tabi made a brief splash on the athletic scene in the 1950s, more than 30 years passed before their big break in the fashion world.

Maison Margiela’s iconic tabi boot hit the European runway in 1988—the brand’s first shoe design. Martin Margiela himself was unsure of the initial success of the silhouette, but he kept showing these barefoot-like boots over and over, show after show. Soon enough, Margiela’s tabi became a major cornerstone of the brand. They were quickly accepted in avant-garde circles and, with time, earned recognition for their unique, one-of-a-kind design, which differed from other European fashion houses. However, not all that recognition was positive.

Modern takes on tabi in mainstream Western fashion haven’t exactly been favorable. They might be the most controversial shoe silhouette to date. Online discourse illustrates the stark differences in opinions surrounding any split-toe style, and up until very recently, the negative opinions vastly outweighed the positive ones.

Two cultural factors largely account for the sudden shift in public acceptance of tabi: trend cycles and celebrities. Fashionable celebrities, including Emma Chamberlain, Zendaya, and Bad Bunny, played a part in popularizing the tabi. Emma Chamberlain has been a vocal tabi wearer, raving about their chic look and practical comfort. Zendaya and Bad Bunny have been spotted numerous times wearing tabi shoes, whether walking the streets of New York or appearing on award-show carpets.

The 2020s have seen the prominence of the flat—which also happens to be the most popular tabi silhouette. Tabi flats add a playful edge to an otherwise basic outfit. They make the wearer seem more interesting through the choice to wear a polarizing shoe. In an age where everyone wants to look cool, tabi fit perfectly: they’re niche, they’re unique, and they’re timeless. You can’t deny history, right?

This article draws on research from Japan House LA, Teen Vogue, and Maison Margiela.