You’ve probably seen them on social media by now. They’re difficult to overlook. Those big red boots can be found everywhere, not just on celebrities. The thermoplastic polyurethane rubber-shelled boots look like they came from Roger Rabbit’s world, where the lines between cartoons and humans are blurred.
That, according to the fashion label that produces them, is the point.
“Cartoon boots for a cool 3D world,” says MSCHF’s product description for the Big Red Boot. “Cartoonishness is an abstraction that liberates us from reality’s constraints. When you kick someone in these boots, BOING!”
Here’s everything you need to know about this season’s hottest — and possibly most contentious? — fashion trend.
Who is sporting them?
Janelle Monáe, an actress and musician, recently shot some hoops in her big red boots. Producer Diplo was chastised online after wearing a pair to a New York Knicks game on Monday night. They’re being worn by TikTok and Instagram fashion influencers. Rappers Rich the Kid and Lil’ Wayne, as well as basketball player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, are all wearing the trendy boots.
When rapper Coi Leray performed “Players” at the Brooklyn Nets halftime show last week, she wore the sought-after shoe. Iggy Azalea, another musician, tweeted, “Happy big red boot day,” with a photo of herself in teeny red undies, which she paired with her massive red boots.
Who creates them?
MSCHF, a Brooklyn-based art collective, is the company behind the boot. Gabriel Whaley, a former BuzzFeed employee who founded the collective in 2016, told Insider in 2020 that his company couldn’t be defined and that he and his colleagues were “fans of mischief.”
MSCHF was also behind the AI-generated foot photos, as well as Lil Nas X’s infamous “Satan Shoes” — a Nike Air Max 97 knockoff said to be made with a drop of human blood. Nike sued the company for trademark infringement after every pair of “Satan Shoes” sold out in less than a minute.
When did they first gain popularity?
The big red boot first appeared on the scene earlier this month, before they were made available to the general public. Celebrities and influencers began to appear in photos and videos wearing an outrageous pair that couldn’t be ignored.
What are their prices?
The $350 boots went on sale at 8 a.m. Pacific on Thursday and sold out “basically instantly,” MSCHF co-founder Daniel Greenberg told The Times via email.
Where can I purchase them?
They are no longer available through MSCHF’s online store, but they are still available through resale websites.
There are a few listings on eBay ranging from $675 to $1,224. Poshmark also has a pair for $1,200. When asked when the boots would be available again through MSCHF, Greenberg replied, “Not really sure what the future holds.”
Does the internet like or dislike them?
The unusual footwear is receiving mixed reviews on social media. TikTok user @lilap shared a video of a man being dragged across the floor while two women attempted to remove his boots. “Damn, that’s dumb,” said the man in the video. “I’d never buy these. “Hey, my foot is sweating!”
@Power106LA tweeted a video of a man dressed as Cupid walking across the street in big red boots with the caption, “NAAAHHHHH what’s going on with the MSCHF Big Red Boots?!”
In addition, @Lexnthecityyy tweeted a video of TikTok fashion influencer Wisdom Kaye flaunting his kicks with the caption, “People can’t sit here and tell me these big red boots aren’t cute and fun.”
