There are ballet flats, and then there are Kiko Kostadinov ballet flats.
The thin, dainty style of shoe has gone from being a niche TikTok trend to becoming one of the defining products of 2023 with runways dominated by the bow-embellished footwear. But nobody has gone to the same lengths as Kiko Kostadinov has when reimagining ballet flats.
The London-based label, whose womenswear line is run by twin sisters Laura and Deanna Fanning, has just released its hybrid ballet flats in an exclusive colorway and they take the trend to new, more experimental places.
The shoes have laces that bridge across the upper’s low cut, sporty paneling reminiscent of a pair of Onitsuka Tiger’s signature slimline sneakers, and a thin, sporty sole.
Plus, if that isn’t eye-catching enough for you, the whole shoe is covered in red Faux python skin.
I thought the Kiko Kostadinov ballet flats were already pretty wild when they debuted on the SS24 runway, but getting a closer look at them now reveals the full extent of their experimentation. They're plié perfect, if you will.
The sporty look, unconventional lacing system, and Y2K Eurotrash feel of it all bring a trend that’s most synonymous with Miu Miu’s satin pink flats firmly into Kiko Kostadinov’s world.
The Italian-made shoes are out now available exclusively from Dover Street Market and the Kiko Kostadinov website, retailing at $680.
If you thought balletcore had peaked with the release of Balenciaga’s scuffed-up ballet flats and its introduction into menswear, Kiko Kostadinov has news for you.
We've seen the standard style of ballet flats doing the rounds over the past year or so but models like this one and the PUMA x Coperni collaboration (which is a mesh between ballet flats and football boots) proves that they aren't going away any time soon. Instead, ballet flats are only getting more wild.
