We thought it was condemned to the photo albums of the 2000s. However, the heeled flip-flop is back and celebrities have already adopted it. Too Y2K for some, deliciously nostalgic for others, this hybrid silhouette oscillates between seaside relaxation and confident sophistication. After ballet flats, slim jeans and capri pants, it is this that stands out as the most unexpected shoe trend for summer 2026.
It’s impossible to talk about this trend without going back to the 1990s and early 2000s. At the time, heeled flip-flops invaded the catwalks before becoming the uniform of it-girls. First imagined in a delicate version with a small heel, they evolve towards more assertive models, up to the famous wedge flip-flops which have become emblematic of the 2000s. Then comes the crossing of the desert. For more than a decade, they joined the category of shoes considered dated. Until fashion, faithful to its eternal pendulum swing, gradually brought them back into the spotlight at the start of the 2020s. Today, they are coming back free of their kitsch image. More minimalist, more graphic, they stand out as much in the streets as on the catwalks. On the spring-summer 2026 fashion shows, the flip-flop is transformed and definitively moves away from its purely seaside DNA. At Alaïa, it becomes a sculptural shoe capable of accompanying a daytime silhouette as well as an evening dress. Max Mara focuses on a more discreet version, enhanced with an almost imperceptible micro-heel.
Also read: Heeled, wedged or flat: why the flip-flop puts fashion at your feet
The unexpected shoe adopted by all the stars
If street style is a reliable indicator of future trends, then the verdict is clear: heeled flip-flops will be everywhere this summer. Hailey Bieber has already made it one of her signatures, combining her low-heel models with casual denim silhouettes as well as minimalist dresses for the evening. Kendall Jenner adopts them to modernize her monochrome looks while Kylie Jenner gives them a more Y2K look during her New York outings.
More recently, Katie Holmes has definitively validated their fashion potential. On May 20, during the Ballet Theater Spring Gala in New York, the actress appeared in a long white dress with assumed romanticism. To break the overly expected effect of this silhouette, she abandoned the classic pumps in favor of a pair of nude heeled flip-flops. An unexpected but particularly effective choice, which she then reinterpreted a few days later with a white shirt and loose jeans.
Another notable appearance: Miley Cyrus, seen on the streets of New York in an ultra minimalist total black look punctuated with patent flip-flops with dizzying heels. Same observation for Kaia Gerber who integrates them into a more refined wardrobe, confirming their ability to cross all styles.
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