’Tis the summer of the hiking sandal. Tevas, which were originally born from a river guide crafting two Velcro watch straps onto a pair of flip-flops to make them float, have long toed the line between fashion and function – and now, another orthopedically-focused brand, Xero, is quietly rising the ranks on the gorp circuit. Like Teva, Xero offers a range of outdoorsy footwear, but its sandals are the real heroes: specifically, the Genesis, a “lightweight, packable, travel-friendly” thong-toe style that Vogue’s shopping director for Europe, Naomi Smart, came across on a recent trip to Japan.
Meandering Tokyo’s city streets led Naomi to an unassuming store – akin to Millets or Mountain Warehouse – with wall-to-wall hiking sandals visible from the front window. She saw, she stopped, and she bought. “After grappling with the exchange rate, I realised they were only £50,” Naomi reveals of her hardy purchase, which she subsequently wore for the rest of the holiday; averaging an impressive 20,000 steps per day.
“It feels like you’re walking barefoot,” she adds of their barely-there silhouette, designed in the same spirit as Vibram’s five-finger pumps – another unexpected shoe adopted by the fashion crowd this year. And with patterned paracord uppers and slimline 5mm soles, the Genesis is very similar to the sandals that models wore with neon blister plasters on Miuccia Prada’s spring/summer 2024 runway.
“It’s the pinnacle expression of our philosophy: only what you need, nothing you don’t,” the brand’s design director, Kristina Funck, tells Vogue. “The design is playful and sporty, yet clean and flattering – easy to dress up or down. While many brands have followed suit with similar strappy silhouettes, the Genesis was born from a place of authenticity. Every element serves a specific purpose. If you know, you know – we were the originals.”
The techy credentials don’t stop there: they feature tension-adjustment laces and a Silicone heel strap, and boast a wild 5,000 mile sole warranty (!), with a reported 1 million (and counting) “happy customers”, who have used them for walking, hiking, yoga, working out, paddling, and running ultra marathons. Images even show people scaling mountain faces in them. Naomi possesses no plans to boulder or trek in them anytime soon – never say never! – but she’ll certainly be packing them for Glastonbury.
