Brace Yourself: 2025's Most Divisive Shoe Trend Has Arrived

By Swedan MargenFebruary 8, 2025

Ready or not, 2025's first truly divisive shoe trend has arrived. While the year has barely just taken off, we're already starting to see the rise of one shoe trend that's, how shall we say, an acquired taste. The fashion crowd are no strangers to a little controversy, but in our current era of elegant dressing and quiet luxury, we haven't seen the rise of anything truly "ugly" in quite a while, which makes this latest trend all the more newsworthy. The style in question? Glove shoes. Whether they come in ankle-boot or ballet-flat form, we're noticing a rise in shoes that are designed to look like they're molded to your feet. They're not quite so tight as to be sock shoes, but they're certainly more formfitting than your average pair, making them new and exciting and, without a doubt, controversial.

If you look at the runways, this trend has been brewing quietly for a minute now. Proenza Schouler showed a pair of glove-like mesh leather flats on its S/S 24 runway paired with airy layered organza dresses and sleek leather separates. Then it was Carven that included satin glove boots in the F/W 24 collection, which were styled with corporate-esque tailored skirt suits for an intriguing contrast. More recently, Chanel launched its patent moccasins that immediately became some of the most in-demand designer shoes upon their talked-about launch. Ahead, we're charting the glove shoe trend, from its runway debuts over the past several seasons to how fashion people are wearing them in the wild and, of course, the pairs you can shop now (if you're so inclined).

On the runway

We first noticed the rise of this glove-like style in Proenza Schouler's spring 2024 collection in the form of satin and mesh leather flats with a more foot-hugging silhouette than your average flats.

a Proenza Schouler model walks the spring/summer 2024 runway in mesh leather glove flats

Carven was the next collection to clue us in to the trend. Designer Louise Trotter included satin glove boots in the F/W 24 collection, which were styled with corporate-esque tailored skirt suits for an intriguing contrast.

a Carven model wearing a pair of glove boots on the fall/winter 2024 runway

At Chanel, the flats featured a calfskin-leather exterior, a rounded toe, and a tuxedo-friendly aesthetic that, all together, made for flats that were definitively glove-like in our minds.