Earlier this month, at the “2025 Met Gala” held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, various stars were in the spotlight for their colorful fashion, but some stars drew attention for directing popular brands in unique fashion.
Spanish pop star Rosalia drew attention by wearing a white skirt and New Balance soccer boots on her way to a dress fitting location to attend the Met Gala. The fashion received more attention than the luxury brand Balmain dress Rosalia wore at the Met Gala. The New Balance 442 PRO FG V2 worn by Rosalia is a soccer shoe for grass stadiums. Rosalia matched her fashionable skirt with soccer boots that seemed to be far from fashion styling. This look is spreading around the fashion world and social networking services, and the perception that “football shoes are also an item that can be styled in fashion.” According to the industry on the 24th, Rosalia’s fashion is considered to reflect the SNS meme (meme) of #BOOTSONLYSUMMER, which aims for fashion that deviates from the existing framework.
The meme continues with the “Brat Summer” trend, which was popular last summer. The word “Brat,” derived from pop star Charlie XCX’s album, was mostly used by young people to describe the “confident, independent, hedonistic attitude.” The word “Brat,” which was picked by Collins Dictionary last year, is a trend that started with a song that means “a rude child” and enjoys sub-culture, and its main point is to embrace imperfections beyond the framework. Boot-only summer, which is derived from the trend, has shifted to MZ generation fashion in the U.K. and the U.S. Some of the words “boots” refer to soccer boots. As soccer shoes with spikes are expressed as memes in everyday life, the word is spreading mainly on social media TikTok. It features a mix and match of feminine clothing, which is far from sportswear such as jeans, skirts, and suits. The boots-only summer phenomenon is not just a meme, but also a trend thanks to the participation of luxury brands. Sensing the spread of memes, luxury brands are introducing a series of soccer-inspired collections, helping the Boot-Only Summer phenomenon become popular.
In this year’s spring and summer collection, Louis Vuitton introduced soccer-inspired sneakers, clothing, and accessories. The product that drew attention in particular is the soccer shoe design with the Louis Vuitton logo. The black leather material with white accents interprets the trend well as everyday designs. It is said that it goes well with formal shorts and soft trousers.
E-Land World’s New Balance is also introducing a variety of products to keep up with the trend. It also unveiled the 442 ELITE FG V2, a higher-end model than the sneakers worn by Rosalia. RC42, a low-profile sneaker inspired by indoor soccer and terrace fashion in the 1970s, features a sporty yet elegant design. It is also famous for its collaboration with Japanese designer Junya Watanabe during the spring and summer (SS) season last year.
Nike joined the trend by re-launching the “Total 90” series of soccer shoes worn by famous players such as Wayne Rooney, Fernando Torres and Ki Sung-yueng in the 2000s as daily sneakers. The popular model “SAMBA” from Adidas is also a sneaker that got its motif from soccer. When the Samba was launched, it was released as an Indian-only futsal pair. Adidas Y-3 introduced actual soccer boots with spikes on the runway at this year’s spring and summer collection. The shoes were designed by Yoji Yamamoto and originally made into the uniform of the Japanese national soccer team. Products that were recognized as functional shoes with excellent fit in the past are rather rare and do not have design elements, showing a tendency to be recognized as “hip” fashionable items.
“If Blockcore fashion, which has been attracting attention since 2023, is based on soccer uniforms and clothing, Boots-Only Summer focuses on shoes, further blurring the boundaries between sports and fashion,” a fashion industry official said. “It shows the free fashion view of the MZ generation, which challenges past fashion customs and expresses individuality.”
SALLY LEE
US ASIA JOURNAL
