Fashion is something that’s innately personal, but you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who thinks the oversized red boots released by art house/retailer MSCHF are haute couture. But that’s not stopping the online world from going crazy over them.
The boots, which resemble the footwear worn by Astro Boy, Ronald McDonald or Dora the Explorer’s monkey friend, have gone viral in the run-up to their on-sale date—and are likely to fetch a huge premium when they hit the resale market.
MSCHF will put the boots on sale Feb. 16 for $350. StockX, an online reseller and marketplace for sneakerheads, is already listing the resale value at $1,789.
That’s a lot of money for clunky, rubber boots that we’re betting don’t go with anything in your wardrobe. But, when the Internet gets in a frenzy, common sense tends to go on a coffee break.
Still, MSCHF (which is the same company that recently released at WD-40-scented perfume, which also quickly sold out) has seeded demand masterfully, sending a few pairs to social media influencers and that’s all it took.
That’s not to say some of the online comments haven’t been fun to peruse, though.
MSCHF has a history with controversial footwear. In 2021, the company teamed with Lil Nas X to offer “Satan Shoes,” a converted Nike Air with a pentagram pendant and a drop of human blood in the soles. That resulted in a trademark infringement claim from Nike, which was quickly settled.