Balk if you want at Kanye West’s fashion choices, but you can’t deny that he’s a man who knows how to start a trend.

His futuristic-looking Yeezy sneakers were joked about when they first came out, now everyone and their mother are wearing chunky rubber trainers. Similarly, the tonal neutral outfits Kanye’s brand showed on catwalks were initially mocked, yet these days you can’t move on the high street for identical pieces.

And the rapper has now done it again, debuting a footwear look that defies expectations of men’s fashion.

At the Burberry Spring/Summer 2023 show in London this week, Ye donned a black leather two-piece along with his trademark hoodie, as well as a pair of diamond-studded flip flops worn with black socks.

It’s a marked change from Kanye’s usual shoe choice of Yeezys or oversized biker boots, and from his preference for minimal embellishment.

Given the artist released a song, Diamonds from Sierra Leone, about the links between the the jewellery trade and the country’s civil war, it stands to reason that Ye may have gone for a more ethical option with these bedazzled sandals.

While they may look like something your mum would pick up ahead of a family holiday, these aren’t your regular flop flops. In fact, they were fresh from the runway at the Burberry show, the brainchild of outgoing Chief Creative Officer Riccardo Tisci.

They’re not available to purchase yet, but sandals from the British brand typically range from £250 to £650 (and these may be more depending on the gemstones used).

Let’s talk about the socks, too. The love/hate Tabi shoes by Maison Margiela feature a split between the big and second toes, and Kanye seems to have recreated them with this ‘fit.

Is it a game changing style choice or just a product of getting dressed in the dark? Only time will tell.

Whether socks and flip flops will catch on remains to be seen. Before you write the combination off, though, remember you might be wearing it in a few months’ time.

If you want to steal Kanye’s studded flip flop look, you don’t need to wait until Burberry drop their SS23 collection.

Try these alternatives instead to get ahead of the curve.

Bear in mind, you may need to shop in the women’s section, but there’s a decent size range for most people.

Bonus points, these are super comfy too (Picture: John Lewis)

Buy for £38 at John Lewis.

Go for a subtle sparkle if you’re not a fan of rhinestones (Picture: Havaianas)

Buy for £21.60 (was £36) at Havaianas.

Go for some rainbow gems to add a little colour (Picture: Amazon)

Buy for £33.94 (was £39) at Amazon.

Just like Kanye’s but without the celeb price tag (Picture:

Buy for £14.99 (was £18.99) at Where’s That From.

Pair with whatever socks you can find, just like Ye.

This article contains affiliate links. We will earn a small commission on purchases made through one of these links but this never influences our experts’ opinions. Products are tested and reviewed independently of commercial initiatives.

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

MORE : The sellout Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar is back – this time worth over £1,000

MORE : Five of the hottest trends from London Fashion Week

Get us in your feed