There’s a new aesthetic in town, and one luxury fashion brand just took it to an unusual level with a shoe design that is receiving mixed reviews on social media.
Alexander McQueen recently debuted a new shoe that falls into the popularized “horse girl” aesthetic, which features equestrian-inspired fashion. But the brand really put emphasis on the “horse” part as it closely resembles the foot of a stallion.
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The shoe is called the “Hoof Boot,” and it retails for $2,900. The boot, which has a heel that is about 5.7 inches tall, is made with brown calf hair, and it features “a hoof inspired round toe” that has a “horseshoe sole silhouette and silver-finished nail studs,” according to Alexander McQueen’s website.
The shoe is part of Alexander McQueen’s Autumn Winter 2024 collection, and it officially launched on the brand’s website last week. Shortly after its launch, the boots quickly went viral on social media, where users were divided on the design of the shoe. Some appreciated the uniqueness of the design, while others compared its appearance to the character Donkey from the movie “Shrek.”
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— 𝙇𝙞𝙡 𝘾𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙖 (@Dahjour) July 10, 2024
These ugly and hard at the same time..
— NEVER FORGET (@poparazzipapi) July 10, 2024
The boots have already been worn by popular celebrities such as Charli XCX and Lana Del Rey, who famously wore them to the 2024 Met Gala.
The bold design from Alexander McQueen comes at a time when the brand’s parent company, Kering (PPRUF) , is struggling to maintain interest from consumers amid a slowdown in luxury spending. Kering also owns top luxury brands such as Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, etc.
In Kering’s earnings report for the second quarter of 2024, it revealed that its revenue declined by 11%, compared to the same time period last year. Its sales from its retail network also dipped by 12%, which was mainly due to “lower store traffic,” according to the report. Alexander McQueen, which is undergoing a “creative transition,” is listed under “Other Houses” in Kering’s report; this sector experienced a 7% decline in revenue.
A woman carries an Alexander McQueen shopping bag as she passes a Louis Vuitton store via Getty Images
“In a challenging market environment, which adds pressure on our top line and profitability, we are working assiduously to create the conditions for a return to growth.” said Kering in the report.
Luxury spending has been on the decline over the past few years due to inflation and other economic restraints that consumers face daily. However, according to a recent survey from Saks Luxury Pulse, the market environment isn’t changing anytime soon.
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The survey found that 57% of respondents said that they are planning to spend “the same or more” on luxury items compared to the past three months. This is a decline from the 62% that said that they planned to spend the same or more on luxury during the same time period last year.
When it comes to shopping for luxury fashion, only 24% of respondents in the survey said that they are inclined to pay full price for an item rather than wait for it to be on sale. This is a decrease from the 26% reported in the same survey last year.
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