Few things signal the return of fall in New York City like the first sighting of Central Park fall foliage turning locals into camera-ready tourists, a slew of un-RSVPed Halloweekend party invites clogging your inbox, and UGG boots and shoes lining the sidewalks from the uptown prepsters in vintage gabardine trenches to the downtown scene’s thrifted moto jackets. Throughout every iteration of sole thickness and boot height, the UGG has remained a guaranteed fixture of fall fashion.
This year, the suede footwear staple is branching out of its usual slip-on aesthetic for something decidedly more statement-making and sky-high—er, thigh-high. After six years, UGG has reunited with cult Japanese label, sacai, to introduce three new styles—a leggy boot, loafer, and hiker—all wrapped in their signature shearling of equal proportions, après-ski and SoHo-ready.
And just like the inevitable drop in temps, UGG ushered in the unofficial start of UGG Season last night with its sixth annual Feel House, a red carpet affair for the shearling set. Nestled in the Meatpacking District alongside the neighborhood’s lush window displays and a stone’s throw from the High Line, the sprawling three-floor venue bellowed Y2K pop beats, beckoning endless streams of large black SUVs and their VIP arrivals through its gilded doors.
A tunnel of glimmering lights stretched from the entryway to the retail space in the back. Flashbulbs popped as a baddie in a safety pin dress investigated the lineup of UGG footwear styles throughout the years, from 90s’ Tasmans to aughts’ Talls. Her posse followed suit. Suddenly entranced by Sean Paul beats and the promise of themed cocktails, the crowd journeyed up the wrought iron stairs, leaving behind only a trail of Santal 33 and captivated whispers of “Who was that?!”.
At the top of the lofty staircase, a cacophony of “So good to see you!” and clinking coupe glasses roared. Ferg, in head-to-toe red suede, greeted Stefon Diggs in the tunnel to the UGG x sacai installation. They lingered by the mannequins draped in a Mongolian wool hoodie and plushy inside-out boots—perhaps taking notes for a red carpet look to come.
Well-suited waiters weaved in between pockets of fashion’s glitterati, proffering bites of glorified bunny food: goat cheese wrapped grapes coated in herbs resembling blades of grass, razor-thin golden potato stacks dolloped with aioli, and caviar-topped white clouds cosplaying as crackers. Par for the course—hors d'oeuvres, that is. Taking cues from the children’s classic, Where The Wild Things Are, the UGG x sacai collab returns for its second act, transforming classic UGG silhouettes into untamed hybrids blending UGG comfort with sacai’s avant-garde edge.
And just like that, resident footwear enthusiast and New York fashion icon, Sarah Jessica Parker appeared (say it with us now: boots!). Christening the lineup alongside style maven, Elsa Hosk, the duo posed for photos near the sacai installation as starstruck attendees scrambled to capture their own Insta-proof of proximity. SJP singled out a camera phone and winked down the barrel. Over the roar of Danity Kane’s “Show Stopper”, a jaw was heard hitting the floor.
A harpist-violinist duo took to the amp next, luring guests into the next room with eerily Midsommar-esque melodies before flipping into a classical pop mashup that transitioned seamlessly into DJ, Sorelle McGill’s next track: Madonna’s “Vogue.” Naturally, the crowd erupted.
Across the room, the round bar was swarmed as guests swapped hellos over a trio of UGG-themed emulsions. The “Thigh High” was called out by a mini-skirted reveller, her friend filming the pour with a vintage camcorder. “One ‘Hiker’, please!” ordered by a shearling-clad creative clutching a half-eaten canapé. And for the rest of us, “Loafers”: a fitting twist on the classic French 75. In the back, a queue snaked toward the UGG-emblazoned photobooth—a souvenir-slash-status symbol for the night’s chosen few.
For those who didn’t make it past the velvet rope, the AW25 Feel House opens to the public from October 25-28, 11 AM to 6 PM. Because while trends come and go (and come back again), comfort never misses a season. And somehow, neither does UGG. But most importantly, neither should you.
