Can footwear be both beautiful and disturbing? Glenn Martens’s clear Tabi reinterpretation for Maison Margiela answers with a resounding yes. By shifting the iconic design into transparent plastic, he exposes every toe—making the familiar unfamiliar, and turning walking into a provocative statement.
Exposing the final frontier of foot fetish
Glenn Martens’s clear Tabis were the standout surprise in his couture debut for Maison Margiela. Melding transparency with a split-toe silhouette, the shoes place the wearer’s feet completely on display. No longer hidden or tucked away, every detail is visible, elevating the mundane into a fetishized spectacle.
These aren’t just shoes—they’re a declaration. The plastic material leaves nothing to the imagination. By choosing such overt reveal, Martens challenges fashion’s desire to conceal, flipping modesty into momentary exhibitionism.
The hoof, amplified
The Tabi boot has always separated the big toe, evoking the archetype of a hoof. But when crafted in plastic, the effect is more primal than before. The clear material highlights what once remained unseen: the intimate shape of the foot, isolated into “cloven” partitions.
Freakwear critic Liana Satenstein likens it to the “final boss of demented footwear.” Unlike past toe-separating designs—which retained some modesty—these Tabis expose both form and fetish. It’s a deliberate provocation, where fashion flirts with allure and unease.
Ethereal gowns meet raw display
Martens paired the clear Tabis with flowing, floral-adorned gowns—an intentional contrast. The sheer softness of silk and lace presses against the ruthless transparency of the footwear. It’s a collision of ethereal fragility and stark bodily truth.
This paradox defines the moment. The collection becomes a space where elegance and exhibition coexist, where beauty and discomfort intersect. Every step taken in these Tabis becomes a shuttle between grace and confrontation.
Confronting fetish head-on
This footwear doesn’t shy away—it confronts. It nods to foot fetish, bondage, exhibition—the whole spectrum. By laying the foot bare, Martens forces engagement. These shoes are not for taste. They’re for reaction.
In doing so, the shoes insist that fashion can provoke while remaining deeply aesthetic. The clear Tabi isn’t a gimmick—it’s a statement. In one design, Martens collapses taboo into runway, and reminds us that true creativity often lives in the discomfort.
Conclusion: beauty, transparency, provocation
Maison Margiela’s clear Tabis don’t just walk—they reveal. They blur the line between footwear and flesh, between adornment and exposure. With every step, they assert that fashion still has the power to unsettle—and to enchant.
In a world chasing comfort and conformity, Martens reminds us that true craftsmanship can still startle. And perhaps, that is the most radical gesture of all.
