Balk if you want at Kanye West’s fashion choices, but you can’t deny that he’s a man who knows how to start a trend.

His futuristic-looking Yeezy sneakers were joked about when they first came out, now everyone and their mother are wearing chunky rubber trainers. Similarly, the tonal neutral outfits Kanye’s brand showed on catwalks were initially mocked, yet these days you can’t move on the high street for identical pieces.

And the rapper has now done it again, debuting a footwear look that defies expectations of men’s fashion.

At the Burberry Spring/Summer 2023 show in London this week, Ye donned a black leather two-piece along with his trademark hoodie, as well as a pair of diamond-studded flip flops worn with black socks.

It’s a marked change from Kanye’s usual shoe choice of Yeezys or oversized biker boots, and from his preference for minimal embellishment.

Given the artist released a song, Diamonds from Sierra Leone, about the links between the the jewellery trade and the country’s civil war, it stands to reason that Ye may have gone for a more ethical option with these bedazzled sandals.

While they may look like something your mum would pick up ahead of a family holiday, these aren’t your regular flop flops. In fact, they were fresh from the runway at the Burberry show, the brainchild of outgoing Chief Creative Officer Riccardo Tisci.

They’re not available to purchase yet, but sandals from the British brand typically range from £250 to £650 (and these may be more depending on the gemstones used).

Let’s talk about the socks, too. The love/hate Tabi shoes by Maison Margiela feature a split between the big and second toes, and Kanye seems to have recreated them with this ‘fit.

Is it a game changing style choice or just a product of getting dressed in the dark? Only time will tell.

Whether socks and flip flops will catch on remains to be seen. Before you write the combination off, though, remember you might be wearing it in a few months’ time.

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