Forget the less is more philosophy: after the Uggs and Crocs, the XXL snow boots are back. Was it the winter prick, or is there more to it? In any case: the Moon Boot has a fashionable moment. In a bikini or ski suit, from TikTok to Courchevel.
Moonboots actually made a comeback a year ago. First on the catwalks – from Walter Van Beirendonck to Miu Miu. Then in the Christmas message of Christmas Queen Mariah Carey and actress Tracee Ellis Ross, then in a logical combination with a winter coat.
With Dua Lipa and Kendall Jenner, however, it was more lighthearted, under a miniscule bikini. Kim Kardashian and Hailey Bieber also wear them with little more. It is that look that is being copied on TikTok today and has been dubbed ‘Winter Bimbo’.
Anyone who has consciously experienced the heyday of Paris Hilton will immediately know where new fans get the mustard: the late nineties and Y2K fashion.
Space Age
We associate the thick moon boots with snow and winter, but they first became a trend after the moon landing with the Apollo 11, over fifty years ago. That birthday and a newfound adoration for the moon put the big boots in the spotlight again. After all, in 1969 Buzz Aldrin was the second man to set foot on the moon and left the most famous footprint ever – secretly on top of Neil Armstrong’s.
The protective and insulating boots were put on over the shoes worn in the spacecraft, like overshoes. At the time, however, Nasa didn’t know what the bottom of the lunar surface looked like—dusty, slippery, quicksand? Thick ribbed soles that distribute the weight well were supposed to keep the astronauts upright during the giant leap for mankind.
Moon boots with patent
Like a bunch of slovenly tourists, they left the used boots, along with their print, on the moon. Down here they were quickly imitated, mainly as après ski boots. The Italian Tecnica Group was also inspired by the first steps on the moon in the early 1970s. Both the shape and name of their Moon Boot are protected by law as a ‘creative work of artistic value’. More than 25 million pairs have already been sold. Collaborations with fashion houses such as Dior, Louis Vuitton and Chanel followed one another.
Collabs to the moon & back
Also this year there are – strategic – collabs: with Stranger Things for youthful bingers, with Chloé for the fashion girls. In addition, a Moon Boot was designed in collaboration with the popular Californian Palm Angels and a collection with the boho-chic Italian Alanui. Prices vary between 125 euros for an original to 2975 euros for copies pimped with Swarovski crystals.
Yeezy, Acné Studios and Victoria’s Secret are just a few of the labels that released their own model. The fact that the other popular warm boot Ugg also launched waterproof moon boots this year says something about their popularity. On TikTok, the hashtag #UggBoots now has more than 198.5 million hits (#moonboots: 162.7 million). They are mainly worn over tights, with or without a mini skirt.
Pleasant
Photos taken by the fashion-conscious public during recent fashion weeks prove that the trend has not yet died down. The fluffy moon boots are simply cozy. Over the past winters we have been looking for security everything puffy, from sleeping bag jacket to pillow bag. They offered warmth during corona walks and security in less pleasant times. We are still looking for that comfort today and we find it in the padded boot.
And feel free to wear it with your down coat… Aesthetic doubts aside, the boots-and-bikini combo is downright impractical, at any temperature. Fortunately, Dua Lipa and Gigi Hadid also allow the moon boots with a well-dipped look. Casual with a winter coat and baggy trousers, over tights under an oversized sweater… Or something else that wouldn’t look out of place at the après-ski in Chamonix.
Shop the trend
If you want to score a pair of moon boots yourself, it will be difficult to choose. The range is wide, from a few originals over fast fashion copies to high fashion variants that you might prefer not to expose to the snow. A selection…
