Flip-flops are having a moment, and it’s not just because they’re the easiest thing to slip on during a heatwave. This time around, the silhouette is doing more than keeping feet cool. It’s challenging fashion norms, raising questions about cultural credit and redefining what counts as luxury.

In late June, Pharrell Williams introduced the LV Flip during Louis Vuitton’s spring 2026 menswear show in Paris: a voluminous thong sandal rendered in pastel suede and crocodile. Styled with wide trousers and soft tailoring, the silhouette nodded to a larger shift already underway.

Earlier that month, actor Jonathan Bailey drew attention at a London photocall for “Jurassic World: Rebirth” in black flip-flops by The Row, paired with slate knitwear and wide-leg trousers. It was relaxed, intentional, and quietly provocative — a $690 footwear choice that got people talking.

The revival isn’t limited to designer shows or even to men’s footwear. H&M’s latest drop includes under-$40 thong sandals that echo luxury styles. Dolce & Gabbana’s Havaianas collaboration, complete with animal prints and furry straps for men and women, sold out in 24 hours. Khloe Kardashian embraced the trend ahead of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s Venice wedding last month in Chanel. The flip-flop is trending again. But this moment is just one chapter in a much longer story.

From Ancient Egypt to Postwar America

The flip-flop’s history stretches much further than Y2K beachwear or TikTok fashion hacks. Its earliest ancestor dates back to ancient Egypt, where papyrus-woven thong sandals were worn by everyone from laborers to royalty. A reed pair from 1500 BCE lives in the British Museum. Another, gilded and ceremonial, was found in King Tut’s tomb.

A similar design took hold in Japan with the zōri — flat sandals made from rice straw, rushes, bamboo sheath or even rawhide. According to the Victoria and Albert Museum’s “Guide to the Japanese textiles” by A.D. Howell Smith and Albert James Koop, they came in a range of styles, from everyday versions with hemp-rope soles to fancier types like the setta, which featured rawhide bottoms and iron heel pieces. The straps, called hanao, were twisted cords covered in cloth or leather, held in place by the toes. While the structure evolved over time — modern pairs tend to be shorter and sit closer to the heel — the essence stayed the same.

After World War II, American soldiers stationed in Japan brought zōri-inspired designs back to the U.S. Rubber versions quickly caught on, and by the 1950s, the term “flip-flop” was born, named after the sound they made walking down the street, according to book “The First of Everything” by Stewart Ross.

By the ’60s, they had a new identity: a symbol of California surf culture. They were cheap, light and easy to throw on, making them a go-to for summer wardrobes across the globe. Australians called them thongs, South Africans had plakkies and in the Philippines, they were tsinelas.

Then came Havaianas. Launched in 1962 by Brazilian company Alpargatas, the brand borrowed the zōri’s rice-textured sole and initially marketed it to workers. A production error in 1969 introduced green straps, which accidentally kick-started a trend toward brighter, bolder colors. It stuck. Today, Havaianas sells over 230 million pairs a year, and reportedly, roughly 94 percent of Brazilians own at least one pair, according to the brand.

The Fashion Flip-flop and Cultural Call-outs

The modern fashion flip-flop owes much to The Row’s spring 2021 collection, where sleek leather iterations priced at nearly $900 reframed the silhouette as a minimalist luxury item. By spring 2025, the style had fully entered the high-fashion lexicon, appearing on runways at Alaïa, Sportmax and Proenza Schouler.

Then came Prada’s spring 2026 menswear show. Staged at the Deposito at Fondazione Prada, it featured T-strap leather sandals that bore a strong resemblance to Kolhapuri chappals — a centuries-old design handmade by artisans in Maharashtra, India. Social media lit up with side-by-side comparisons, with stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania and fashion watchdog Diet Sabya were among the many voices drawing attention to the similarity.

Kolhapuris, which received a Geographical Indication tag in 2019, are constructed from sun-dried buffalo hide and stitched entirely by hand — a single pair can take up to two weeks to complete. After the show, the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce contacted Prada, raising concerns about commercialization without credit.

Prada responded by emphasizing the brand’s commitment to heritage and confirming it had opened a dialogue with Indian artisans. Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada’s head of corporate social responsibility, described the design as being in “an early stage” and expressed openness to a “meaningful exchange.” For some, the response was a welcome step. For others, it was too little, too late. Either way, it reignited a conversation about cultural sourcing, recognition and visibility in global footwear.

Form, Function & Environmental Fallout

Flip-flops have long been a vehicle for storytelling, even if not everyone sees it at first glance. In the 2000s, FitFlop marketed a biomechanically engineered version that claimed to improve posture and tone legs. Around the same time, orthopedic experts raised red flags about flat soles and long-term use. Environmental concerns also surfaced: mass-produced PVC flip-flops were clogging beaches and landfills.

Brands like Havaianas have since responded. Its IPE collection uses recycled materials and donates proceeds to rainforest conservation. Other companies are experimenting with biodegradable soles made from algae-based foam or natural rubber.

According to a 2025 report from Polaris Market Research, the global flip-flop market is valued at roughly $24 billion.

From royal tombs and Japanese strawwork to Milanese runways and climate-conscious design labs, the story of the flip-flop is one of cultural persistence. Whether made of crocodile leather or recycled rubber, worn with pleated trousers or tossed into a beach bag, flip-flops continue to straddle the line between comfort, status and self-expression.