In February 2023, we were inundated with all things red, and I mean, it is the month of love after all, right? For our capitalistic society, that means red and pink commercialized goods like heart-shaped candies, red velvet Starbucks drinks, red and pink heart-shaped doughnuts, and even Valentine’s-inspired clothing. So, when American art collective MSCHF (pronounced Mischief) launched their newest hot ticket item ‘the BIG RED BOOT’ just in time for Valentine’s day, it got quite the buzz.
In addition to being timely for Valentine’s day, the boot created quite a stir because it is like nothing fashion has ever really seen before. The collective MSCHF (pronounced Mischief) is known for its controversial designs that really seem to get people talking.
You may know MSCHF from their famous “Satan Shoe'' scandal back in 2021. The collaboration with musician Lil Nas X resulted in 666 “Air Max” shoes that were supposedly infused with real human blood. Nike has since sued the art collective, stating it was not involved in the creation of the product. So yeah, MSCHF is a bit controversial.
The collective’s controversy only continued to grow as over 25 million #BIGREDBOOT hashtags circulated TikTok last month alone. Following its launch, viral fashion TikToker Wisdom Kaye posted a red boot review that got over five million views. Wisdom begins the video by revealing he had to slit the backs of the boots in order to take them on and off of his feet. Wisdom then takes the viewer through a variety of styles highlighting the boots—one of them he deemed “an astro boy style.” After walking through each outfit, Wisdom rated the shoes a 10/10, stating, “I don’t know, they’re just a goofy shoe. You gotta be goofy with them.” While I sort of loved Wisdom's styled outfits, I can’t seem to get over the fact he had to slit the shoe to make it work.
It kind of reminds us that fashion is fluid, ever-changing, and open to anything if the right people endorse it. Now that several celebrities like R&B artist Shai, Ciara, and Young Money are walking around with what looks like pillow pets on their feet, pairs of BIG RED BOOTS are flying off the shelf for over $1200 a pop. Trends will come and go, and as they do, it's important to keep an open mind. While the boots are ridiculous to me now, there is something appealing about their astro-boy, moon-boot quality that I may find irresistible in a year from now. You never really know where fashion is headed, and while some trends stick, some don’t. So I guess we’ll have to wait and see about the futurity of the bizarre BIG RED BOOT.
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