Are these the ugliest women’s shoes ever?
THE Ugg boot is often criticised for being shapeless, sexless and deeply unfashionable.
But now the footwear brand has teamed up with its equally controversial rival Teva to launch what has been described as the ‘ugliest shoes ever made’.
The two designs of hybrid shoes – fur-lined sandals and mid-calf, open-toed boots – have been derided as ‘hideous’, ‘monstrosities’ and ‘the worst thing I’ve ever seen’.
From the reaction online, potential buyers are clearly struggling to follow the designers’ advice to ‘suspend your disbelief’.
Many have joked about the boots’ resemblance to a medical foot brace, leaving the ankles in fur yet toes and arches exposed.
Meanwhile, the fur lining of the sandals, seemingly designed for outdoor activities, would inevitably leave the wearer with sweaty feet.
The sandal is being sold for £135 and the boot for £170 on the firms’ websites.
The public was quick to criticise the shoes on social media. Austin Bauserman tweeted: ‘The new Teva/UGG shoe collaboration looks like a hospital boot for a broken foot.’
Jon Stephens wrote: ‘Want to ensure no one finds you attractive ever again? Buy these ummm, let’s call them boots?’
Meghan Mazar asked: ‘Can someone explain how these new monstrosities were approved by anyone with eyeballs in their head?’
But some in the footwear industry defended the collaboration of the two brands. Wendy Yang, of the shoe firm Deckers, told the Telegraph: ‘Both brands have rich heritages on their own, so to have them as sister brands is really powerful.
‘It’s a new point of relevance and will push the limits of the brands known for their iconic products.’
Ugg has frequently been attacked for its famous sheepskin boots, once owned by an estimated one in four British women.
Fiona McIntosh wrote in the Daily Mail earlier this year: ‘They are shapeless, sexless and make even the most slender of ankles look like mighty oaks. They are also, whisper it, more than a little common.’
The boots have also been criticised in the past as potentially bad for feet.
Dr Ian Drysdale, head of the British College of Osteopathic Medicine, said: ‘These boots are not designed for outside wear. Just because something becomes a trend or fashionable doesn’t mean it’s good or right.
‘The particular problem with this type of footwear is it is unsupported. It’s a slipper. You wouldn’t normally expect to be doing outdoor activities from something that’s indoor. If it’s raining outside you don’t wear your pyjamas.’