Just days after gracing the Cannes red carpet in designer heels, supermodel Bella Hadid was spotted strolling in Saint-Tropez wearing $180 Massimo Dutti thong sandals. This footwear choice marked a clear departure from the exclusive high-fashion luxury often associated with her public image.
Hadid's public image is built on high-fashion luxury, but her recent footwear choice champions accessible, understated comfort. This creates a tension between established celebrity luxury and emerging consumer preferences for more relatable styles.
This move indicates a broader celebrity-driven embrace of 'quiet luxury' and comfort, making high-end style feel more attainable and relatable to the average consumer.
The Specifics of Hadid's Understated Ensemble
- The Massimo Dutti Flat Leather Sandals, costing $180, feature a toe separator, leather lining and insole, and a low flat base, according to wwd.
- Hadid paired the sandals with a black midi Massimo Dutti dress, black oval sunglasses, a woven black shoulder bag, stacked gold bangles, oversize gold earrings, and layered necklaces, as reported by wwd.
This complete Massimo Dutti ensemble, from sandals to dress, reveals a deliberate curation. It prioritizes comfort and subtle elegance, suggesting a calculated effort to align her image with accessible luxury rather than just a casual day out.
Part of a Broader Casual Luxury Trend
The Massimo Dutti sandals sit on the flatter, quieter end of a broader trend towards dressier thong sandals, a style also embraced by celebrities like Kylie Jenner and Katie Holmes, according to wwd. Hadid's choice deliberately champions this subdued version.
Hadid's specific adoption of this subdued thong sandal solidifies its mainstream appeal. It confirms a wider embrace of comfort within luxury circles, indicating a shift in what constitutes aspirational celebrity style.
Redefining Supermodel Aspiration
Bella Hadid's complete Massimo Dutti ensemble, from the $180 thong sandals to the matching midi dress, represents a calculated endorsement. Supermodels are now actively championing accessible brands, effectively blurring the lines between high fashion and everyday affordability.
By choosing the 'flatter, quieter' thong sandal, Hadid does more than embrace comfort. She strategically positions understated elegance and relatability as the new aspirational standard, directly challenging traditional notions of celebrity luxury. This strategic duality in Hadid's personal brand, bridging aspirational runway and relatable everyday style, suggests a significant shift. Accessible brands like Massimo Dutti could see increased supermodel endorsements through 2026, potentially reshaping luxury norms.
