Rita Ora Dons Polarizing Tabi Ballet Flats While Grabbing Dinner With Husband Taika Waititi in Los Angeles
Amina Ayoud
Assistant Digital Editor
Rita Ora was spotted heading to grab dinner at Rokusho restaurant with her husband Taika Waititi yesterday in Los Angeles.
For her date night look, the “For You” singer sported a pair of tabi-style black leather ballet flats. The style, popularized by designer brand Maison Margiela, featured glossy black leather uppers and rounded split toes that mimicked the look of animal hooves.
The Tabi silhouette is the French brand’s bread and butter in a sense. The beloved design house carries the Tabi in a wealth of colorways and compositions including a range of more recent unique rubber iterations. It’s likely Ora’s footwear hails from Maison Margiela, however, there are many brands that have capitalized on the split-toe shoe pick.
The designer style was conceived back in 1988 when Belgian designer Martin Margiela presented his first-ever collection, although the Tabi style can be traced back to 15th-century Japan. Inspired by the samurai of the time, the Tabi silhouette features a split toe, likened to a hoove. Traditionally, construction workers, farmers, gardeners, rickshaw pullers and other laborers would wear the split-toe style. Since then, the footwear has evolved into a high-fashion staple.
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Slouchy and sleek, the British songstress sported a red crushed velvet maxi dress in a halter style. The garment featured a scaley dragon-inspired print. As for accessories, Ora went bold with a plethora of gold jewelry, a red baseball cap and a black nylon bag fixed with gold hardware and whimsical charm adornments that paid homage to the likes of Jane Birkin.
Ora’s a mainstay in the fashion industry, having starred in campaigns for Donna Karan, Roberto Cavalli and Escada over the years. The musician has collaborated on past fashion lines with Adidas Originals and Tezenis, as well as a shoe capsule with Giuseppe Zanotti. She’s also been a longtime partner of ShoeDazzle, creating several collections for the budget-friendly brand.
