During a recent work visit to Pitti Uomo 104, I felt like the only attendee not wearing a pair of fisherman sandals.
Every which way I looked, there they were: another pair of strappy leather numbers staring me directly in the eyes, usually from the ginormous feet of some 7 foot gorgeous Italian guy.
While I continued to trudge around in my Birkenstock clogs (my feet are still suffering now), it did get me thinking about the humble fisherman sandals and the sort of unrivalled trans-seasonal quality they possess.
They are breathable, practical, and comfy, but also robust enough to be the footwear of choice for everyday pursuits like walking the dog, or perhaps popping to the shop for another big bag of Tangy Cheese Doritos on a Sunday.
Whatever the task in hand it's a sandal with the tools for the job. In short: the fisherman sandal is the ultimate all-rounder.
It isn’t only at Pitti they're rife either. Everyone from Gucci, Prada, and Marni, to Dr. Martens, Paraboot, and Aimé Leon Dore have boarded the fisherman sandal trend in recent months, and in turn dressed a good majority of fashion-savvy individuals inhabiting some of the most stylish cities.
Of course, the fisherman sandal isn’t anything new. I know that.
While many of you may well recognise the style from your youth (a favorite of grandads, toddlers, creepy uncles, and sock-wearing geography teachers), the fisherman sandal actually derived in the early 1940s after fishermen all over Europe began opting to work in the buckle-ups.
Soon enough, thanks mostly to its inherently cool aesthetic, the fisherman sandal became as popular on the streets as it had at sea, before it had its “moment” in mainstream fashion during the mid-1980s, with everyone wanting a slice of caged sandal goodness.
Now, four decades and a bit on, the half shoe, half cut-out buckle-up is back and near-on avoidable.
Still, the fisherman sandal’s revival shouldn’t come as a surprise. Not only is it a practical shoe (I mean, they were worn by IRL fishermen for god’s sake), they look the business too.
Sure, pair them with some mid-shin socks and shorts and you’ll be looking like Kip Dynamite, but worn with a smidge of thoughtfulness and it’s hard to make a fisherman sandal look bad.
Shorts, trousers, and skirts, all have their place above a fisherman sandal, heck, they even go with suits if you want them to, which means even funerals aren’t off limits. Versatility really is the key nowadays, and the humble fisherman sandal has it in droves.
Shop the fisherman sandals below.
