From red carpets to fashion week front rows, Saint Laurent’s leather “Joe” boots are fast becoming the most scandalously stylish item in menswear—and Hollywood’s most fashionable men can’t get enough.
Fashion’s newest obsession walks tall
In a fashion world increasingly defined by genderless silhouettes and playful subversion, Saint Laurent’s thigh-high leather boots—dubbed the “Joe” boots—have emerged as the breakout star of the season. First unveiled on the Fall 2025 menswear runway in Paris, the boots were a bold visual anchor in a collection already saturated with edge. Glossy, form-fitting, and unapologetically sexy, they immediately raised eyebrows and camera flashes alike.
It didn’t take long for the boots to cross over from the runway to the real world. Within weeks, they were making appearances on red carpets and Instagram grids, often worn by men known for pushing fashion’s boundaries. The boot’s overt nod to BDSM aesthetics—think structured leather, thigh-skimming length, and a dominatrix energy—has only heightened their cultural resonance. They’ve become fashion’s latest dare: theatrical, polarizing, and utterly irresistible.
And perhaps what makes them even more intriguing is who’s wearing them. These boots aren’t being tucked away in underground clubs or experimental editorials—they’re front and center, worn by household names who are confidently rewriting the rules of menswear.
Hollywood’s most stylish men are all in
Pedro Pascal—arguably the internet’s favorite zaddy—was the first major star to slip into the boots for a high-profile event. He wore them to the Los Angeles premiere of The Last of Us Season 2, pairing them with a sleek black blazer and minimal styling that let the boots do the talking. The look immediately went viral, praised as both subversive and strangely sophisticated. Pascal’s charm, humor, and quiet confidence made the boots feel less like a costume and more like a power move.
Then came Alexander Skarsgård. Known for his towering frame and Scandinavian cool, Skarsgård rocked the Joe boots on the Cannes red carpet at The Phoenician Scheme premiere. With his minimalist tailoring and towering silhouette, he gave the boots a dramatic, almost cinematic flair—like a Bond villain on a runway.
But the boots’ impact hasn’t been limited to actors alone. Fashion’s elite are getting in on the trend, too. Marc Jacobs—always one to embrace the avant-garde—recently posted a playful unboxing and try-on video of the boots on Instagram. “They eat!” he declared to his followers, flashing a devilish grin and striking a pose in the boots’ shiny leather sheen. The clip went viral within hours, cementing the boots as a must-have item for those who speak fashion fluently.
A front-row favorite, even off the runway
Saint Laurent’s Spring/Summer 2026 menswear show marked a striking tonal shift from the previous season. Gone were the leather trenches and thigh-grazing footwear; in their place, crisp shorts, ankle socks, and loafers brought a boyish lightness to the runway. But if the boots didn’t walk the catwalk, they still ruled the room. The front row was awash with the now-iconic footwear.
Among the best-dressed: American musician Del Water Gap, who styled the boots with Saint Laurent’s signature monochrome layers, and Korean superstar Cha Eun-woo, who offered a polished, minimalist take that let the boots gleam as the centerpiece. Chinese actor Wei Daxun and French singer Elias Medini (aka Lyas) also wore the boots at the show, further solidifying the boots’ cross-cultural, cross-market appeal.
These stars weren’t just flexing their fashion credentials—they were signaling their allegiance to a new kind of masculinity. One that values sensuality over stoicism, softness over severity, drama over discretion. And while the boots themselves are undeniably bold, the ease with which these men wear them shows just how quickly the culture is shifting.
Beyond the trend: why these boots matter
It would be easy to write off the Joe boots as just another viral fashion moment—another outrageous accessory destined for meme status. But that would be missing the point. What these boots represent is a broader shift in how we think about menswear, performance, and power.
Much like the Miu Miu micro mini skirt that dominated women’s fashion headlines, these boots play with the line between provocation and prestige. They’re sensual and a little scandalous, yes, but they also carry the weight of craftsmanship, intention, and design history. They’re not a joke—they’re a challenge.
And for creative director Anthony Vaccarello, the boots reflect a broader Saint Laurent ethos. His menswear is not about playing it safe. It’s about pushing silhouettes, reimagining codes, and giving men permission to inhabit fashion as spectacle—not just utility. In doing so, he’s offered up the Joe boot as a new icon: part armor, part adornment, all attitude.
The list (so far)
Below are the celebrities who have embraced Saint Laurent’s Joe boots:
Pedro Pascal – The Last of Us Season 2 premiere, Los Angeles
Alexander Skarsgård – The Phoenician Scheme premiere, Cannes Film Festival
Marc Jacobs – Instagram unboxing and try-on video
Wei Daxun – Saint Laurent Menswear Spring/Summer 2026 show
Del Water Gap – Saint Laurent Menswear Spring/Summer 2026 show
Cha Eun-woo – Saint Laurent Menswear Spring/Summer 2026 show
Elias Medini (aka Lyas) – Saint Laurent Menswear Spring/Summer 2026 show
Whether you see them as high fashion or high drama, one thing is certain: these boots were made for strutting, not subtlety. And in a world increasingly obsessed with soft power and safe choices, Saint Laurent—and the stars who wear it—remind us that fashion still has room for the bold.
