There was once a time when split-toe tabi shoes stood for pure and utter freakdom, when a single cleft in footwear was all it took to telegraph a wearer’s avant-garde edge and willingness to challenge traditional fashion norms. Originating from traditional Japanese split-toe socks known as jika-tabi, these polarizing shoes were famously thrust into the high-fashion mainstream by Martin Margiela in his 1989 debut runway show, where models walked across canvas leaving bloody red hoof-prints behind. For decades, wearing them was an acquired taste reserved for the most daring style insiders and fashion traditionalists.
Today, however, with their alternative status largely a thing of the past and mainstream adoption softening their initial shock value, it takes a little bit more to truly pervert and subvert standard footwear conventions. Enter Zendaya, an ardent tabi fan herself, who is currently on a persistent quest to funk up her already formidable shoe collection and keep the avant-toe conversation alive and evolving.
Following her appearance at the Louis Vuitton spring 2027 ready-to-wear show in Paris earlier this week—where she notably rewore one of her memorable press tour looks from the upcoming cinematic project The Odyssey—the acclaimed actor decided to stick around the French capital to take in the city’s vibrant street style and transitional weather. On a crisp afternoon in the French capital, Z and her longtime assistant, Darnell Appling, were spotted stopping by the renowned Parisian concept store Merci, turning the neighborhood sidewalk into an impromptu runway as she zhuzed up a classic, time-tested daytime look with a heavy dose of high-fashion experimentation.
Zendaya’s base layer for her afternoon outing in Paris was as classic and straightforward as they come: a pair of effortless light-wash denim jeans paired with a crisp, simple white shirt. It is a foundational combination that has served as the uniform of off-duty models, actors, and minimalists for generations. But clearly ready to break out her cold-weather fall wardrobe as autumn descends upon Europe, she layered a striking black leather Prada duster coat sourced directly from the Italian fashion house’s iconic fall 1999 collection over top.
The coat brought a distinctly Matrix-y aesthetic to the ensemble. With its tough, polished leather finish, long sweeping silhouette, and futuristic touches, the garment demanded a shoe that could match its heavy, theatrical energy without getting lost in the dramatic proportions. Zendaya, never one to shy away from a bold footwear pairing, found precisely the right match in her Maison Margiela tabi wedge heels.
While her expansive personal closet is known to house a wide variety of split-toe styles—including understated flats, classic ankle boots, and even tailored loafers—Zendaya opted for the statement-making black leather tabi wedge heels for her stroll through Paris. The choice highlights a broader footwear trajectory: while the summer months proved to be a major renaissance for the humble wedge sandal after years on the fashion sidelines, Zendaya is now championing the architectural heel design, hoping to successfully transition the bold silhouette straight into the fall season.
The appearance outside Merci underscores the actor’s ongoing creative partnership with her long-time stylist Law Roach, even when off-duty. Together, the duo has consistently blurred the lines between archival fashion history and contemporary street style, frequently pulling rare vintage pieces from the late ’90s and early 2000s and pairing them with the most divisive runway accessories of the modern era. By grounding a futuristic Prada leather coat and split-toe Margiela wedges with a simple white shirt and light-wash jeans, Zendaya proved once again why she remains one of contemporary fashion’s most closely watched style icons, transforming an ordinary afternoon of shopping in Paris into a masterclass in high-low dressing and avant-garde texture mixing.