Isabella, a Collections Research Volunteer, recently researched Object No: 96/385/1, a pair of women’s white leather ankle ‘Tabi’ boots designed by Martin Margiela in 1995, from the Powerhouse collection.
These distinctive boots feature Margiela’s signature split-toe design, separating the big toe from the others to create a striking hoof-like silhouette. Crafted by hand with cemented construction, they include a seamed centre front and back, a round stacked and painted heel, and metal hook fastenings at the rear. The Margiela Tabi boot first appeared on the runway in 1988 for the designer’s debut Spring/Summer 1989 show in Paris, where models famously dipped the soles of their tabi boots in bright red paint before walking the runway, leaving the shoe’s uncanny footprints upon its surface.
The boots design draws inspiration from traditional Japanese tabi socks, worn from the 15th century with zori and geta sandals, and later adapted into rubber-soled jika-tabi shoes for workers in the 1920s. Since its debut, the Tabi boot has become a defining symbol of Margiela’s work, achieving cult status and inspiring numerous reinterpretations in fashion.
Belgian designer Martin Margiela, founder of Maison Martin Margiela in 1988, is celebrated for his avant-garde yet minimalistic approach, subverting fashion norms through deconstruction, anonymity, and innovative reuse of materials. The Tabi boot exemplifies this ethos, remaining a provocative and enduring icon within contemporary fashion.
A big thank you to Isabella for her meticulous research and dedication in uncovering the story behind this remarkable object from the Powerhouse collection!
Research and story by volunteer Isabella. Blogpost by Karen Griffiths, (Volunteers Program Officer)