How barefoot shoes are conquering fashion

What do Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Camper, Vans and Tamaris have in common? In recent months, they have all introduced shoe models that are reminiscent of barefoot shoes or are explicitly marketed as such. They are tapping into a trend that has long existed far outside of fashion.

Once derided as an eco-friendly or health shoe, barefoot shoes are increasingly becoming a fashion statement. This is more than just the expected counter-trend to the voluminous trainers of recent years. Many manufacturers combine their models with the promise of natural movement, greater freedom of movement and healthier walking.

“Most modern shoes weaken people's feet,” says Galahad Clark, founder of the British barefoot shoe brand Vivobarefoot. Clark comes from the founding family of the traditional brand Clarks, but takes a deliberately opposite approach with Vivobarefoot. “Vivobarefoot was founded to reconnect people with their natural potential through their feet – a rebellion against ‘Big Shoe’. We make shoes that help you feel more, move naturally and live regeneratively.”

For Dirk Pfeffer as well, the topic was a matter of conviction. The co-founder of the German label Blusun first encountered barefoot shoes at a running event in 2010. “I was totally amazed at what barefoot shoes do to the body and muscles.” He quit his job at the time, built up sales for Leguano until 2018 and founded Blusun in 2024.

From niche to growth market

The market for barefoot shoes has been growing steadily for years. While there were only a few suppliers worldwide until around 2010, Dirk Pfeffer recently counted more than 150 brands. These increasingly include low-cost manufacturers from the Far East, who mainly sell their products via social media.

The fact that the segment is leaving its niche was also evident at the first Barefoot European Shoe Fair in Offenbach. Last year, 78 brands presented themselves at the world's first trade fair for barefoot shoes. Trade fair managing director Arnd Hinrich Kappe spoke of a “brilliant start” and a “sensational kick-off”. The upcoming edition will take place from July 24 to 26 and will feature more than 100 international brands, including Waldläufer, Tamaris Barefoot and Dockers by Gerli.

Economically, the segment is also developing much better than the market as a whole. The global market volume was around 515 million euros in 2024 and is expected to rise to around 745 million euros by 2031. In Germany, the market share is currently only around 1.5 percent, but it is growing much faster than the rest of the shoe market.

“The barefoot shoe market is growing by between ten and 15 percent every year,” says Pfeffer. Blusun achieved a turnover of two million euros in its second financial year, which was around 40 percent above plan. In the current year, the company is growing again by more than 40 percent.

From running shoe to runway

The history of the modern barefoot shoe begins in 2004. At that time, the Italian sole manufacturer Vibram launched the FiveFingers, a shoe with individually enclosed toes that initially attracted attention primarily on the running scene. The concept was boosted by the natural running movement, which advocated as little cushioning as possible. Health- and nature-conscious consumers in particular were interested in minimalist footwear.

Between 2010 and 2015, the segment gained significant momentum. Studies on foot health and biomechanics brought minimalist footwear into sharper focus. At the same time, brands such as Vivobarefoot and Leguano expanded their market presence. A growing demand developed, particularly in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Scandinavia.

Balenciaga initiated the fashion breakthrough. In 2020, the luxury brand developed a toe shoe for the runway together with Vibram and continued the concept in subsequent collections.

There is also a second design influence: the Tabi. Shoes with a split toe section were made famous in fashion primarily by Martin Margiela, whose 1988 Tabi Boot is now one of the most influential shoe designs in fashion history. Unlike classic barefoot shoes, Tabis do not have a health-related approach, but the greater freedom of movement for the toes takes up a similar idea. Vivobarefoot recently adopted this design with the “Tabi Gen 02” model.

What is a barefoot shoe anyway?

However, the boom also brings a problem: what exactly is a barefoot shoe?

According to specialised manufacturers, it is characterised by a particularly thin, flexible sole with no drop, a wide toe box and maximum flexibility. Its main purpose is to protect the foot, not to guide it with cushioning or support elements.

Fashion brands, however, often interpret this claim much more freely. They often only adopt individual features such as a flexible construction or a wide toe shape. For example, the French fashion house Dior describes the Roadie, designed by designer Jonathan Anderson, as having an “extremely flexible construction” and a two-part sole that is designed to follow the natural movements of the foot.

Demand for a standard

Stefanie Steinert, founder of the online shop Freizehn, wants to counteract this development. With the position paper “The Barefoot Shoe Standard”, she is calling for binding criteria for the industry. The aim is to translate scientific findings on foot health into comprehensible requirements for manufacturers and retailers.

The concern is that if the term barefoot shoe is used arbitrarily, it could lead to false expectations among consumers.

“We have to be careful not to overwhelm consumers. Otherwise, they buy a product and are disappointed shortly afterwards to find that it does not meet their expectations. That is why comprehensive education is becoming increasingly important,” says Pfeffer.

There is also an image problem. Many people still associate barefoot shoes with Vibram's FiveFingers or clunky health shoes. In fact, the design has changed significantly in recent years. The current models from many manufacturers look minimalist, fashionable and suitable for everyday wear.

New tasks for retail

Distribution is also changing with the growth. Today, barefoot shoes are sold in classic shoe shops as well as in outdoor, sports or health retailers and in specialised barefoot shoe shops.

“Merrell barefoot shoes are sold successfully through various distribution channels, both in-store and online,” say Wetter and Lietzau. The brand is particularly well represented in the shoe retail sector, while the outdoor and sports retail sectors are also gaining in importance.

The boom, however, presents classic shoe retailers with new challenges. Barefoot shoes require more explanation than classic casual shoes. Specialist knowledge is needed not only to justify the higher price, but also to be able to assess customers' health expectations. Sports retailers and specialised dealers often have a head start in terms of trust.

Who defines what is healthy?

Vivobarefoot, however, does not want to leave the authority to interpret the subject of health to the sports market. With the out-of-home campaign “Free Your Feet”, the company provocatively questioned the sports industry's fixation on cushioning and technical comfort systems in the spring. Lorries with the message “Those Soles want you to feel nothing – We want you to feel everything” were parked in front of the On flagship store in London, among other places.

“The modern shoe industry has spent decades cushioning and controlling our feet,” says Clark. “But evolution has already created the ultimate interface between body and mind. You don't need more technology between you and the earth, you need less.”

This outlines the conflict that is likely to shape the market in the future: no longer the question of whether barefoot shoes have arrived in fashion, but who defines what a barefoot shoe is.