The Chancellor of Finance mocks the younger generation of footwear trends on social media

Last modified on Saturday, October 30, 2021 00.10 EDT

When photos of Rishi Sunak preparing for the budget were released this week, the expected visual effect of a man who worked hard to improve the country's finances was somewhat undermined by his shoes. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, who was a little famous on the dressing table, wore white socks and a pair of slippers from the £95 Italian streetwear brand Palm Angels.

Sunak was ridiculed on social media afterwards because users thought it was a game that appealed to young people. This is because socks and slippers-preferably with a designer label-are now the main outfits for the younger generation. Along with Palm Angels, brands such as Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Gucci and Burberry all produce sliders. These shoes are sought-after luxury items at matching prices. Compared with other brands, Sunak's £95 selection is relatively modest. A pair of Gucci monogram slippers retail for £485, while the leather Bottega Veneta design sells for £525.

Damien Paul is the head of men's clothing for the luxury website Matchesfashion.com, which currently has more than 100 pairs of men's slippers on sale. He said that the slider has been the most popular in the past year and has become the "shoe of choice when working from home." He listed David Beckham, Kanye West and Justin Bieber as trend-influencing celebrities. Billie Eilish is also on board. At the premiere of the James Bond movie "No Time To Die", she wore high-heeled Gucci slippers.

If the matching of socks and sandals was once an incurable faux pas, now it has become a benchmark in the fashion industry. "Coordinating your socks and slippers has become... more and more synonymous with'high fashion'," Paul said.

In addition to celebrities like West and Bieber, this shift is also influenced by the street style image of menswear editors outside of the fashion show. Stylist Gary Armstrong is often photographed and is known for his clothing that often features socks and slippers. He nominated Snoop Dogg as the true pioneer of the look, and said that “the fashion industry has begun to accept it not long ago. [Appearance] To hip-hop culture and fashion often used to subvert the classics of traditional dress code, “so wrong, this is correct” Tribute to skills.

Not all stylish sliders come with dizzying price tags. The £40 Recovery sandals from fitness brand Hoka-designed for wearing after running-have become a fanatical choice. The so-called "pillow slide" made of cushioning foam and bought on Amazon for less than £20 is TikTok's favorite.

Armstrong said that the comfort of socks and slippers is very attractive to him-"It's like wearing slippers on the street. Don't love all kinds of things?"-but currently prefers backless mules, citing Birkenstock sheepskin lining wood Sole shoes are the first choice. Although practicality is not the top priority here, sandals with closed toes may be more suitable for winter. Paul predicts that the mule will be the next state shoe, calling it the "higher slider."

Sunak will have an impact here. "Actually, I think fashion has moved a bit forward from a simple slider," Armstrong said. "This [Sunak slider] will almost certainly sound the death knell."