Last summer, Dolce Vita’s sandals became a viral seasonal staple. Videos of the floral sandals and wedges racked up millions of views, then millions more resale searches as pairs vanished faster than ever.
The hype didn’t die then, designers took the hint for SS25. Miu Miu sent pistachio-green mules twined with camellias, Simone Rocha garnished satin thongs with carnation clusters, and Malone Souliers crowned its raffia-woven Cyd sandal with lucite petals that caught every spot-light. Quiet luxury, kindly step aside; the greenhouse is having its moment.
For anyone allergic to long-term commitments, detachable flower clips have bloomed into the perfect flirtation. Online makers and indie cobblers are doling out snap-on rosettes in every shade, allowing one minimalist base sandal to masquerade as a bouquet of personalities—daisy for brunch, hibiscus for sundown, peony for the inevitable photo dump.
Function hasn’t wilted in the process. A single bloom-laden pair lifts a linen shift or jeans-and-tee combo without the punishment of extra layers—vital when Dubai’s thermometer starts cosplaying as a furnace. Editors are pencilling them in for beach weddings, rooftop dates, and yes, the nine-to-five: just add a boxy blazer that says corporate while your ankles stage a stay-cation. Trend forecasters call it the prettiest rebellion against last year’s beige brigade.
Budgets, thankfully, range from demure to diva. High-street petals start around Dhs99, while Loewe’s velvet pansy platforms flirt shamelessly with four figures. Dolce Vita’s OG Katik still circulates on resale sites for under Dhs200, in case nostalgia strikes. Investment logic? Feet deserve flowers.
So let the plain leather slides take a sabbatical. In their place, wedges are staging a sly comeback—reborn in breezy raffias and petal trims, proving even fashion’s most controversial relic can bloom anew.
