Wrap Around Shoes Mold Perfectly To Your Feet

These new wrap-around shoes from Vibram could be a great option for people with hard-to-fit feet. Vibram, a footwear company based in Italy, is perhaps best known for its FiveFingers line of minimalist shoes (You’ve seen them — they’re the ones with the visibly separated toes, which are either completely awesome or completely creepy, depending on your perspective), and with their new Furoshiki line, the company continues to push the boundaries of traditional footwear. Designed by Japanese designer Masaya Hashimoto, these shoes were inspired by Japanese furoshiki, pieces of fabric traditionally used to wrap and carry gifts and other items. The concept behind Vibram’s Furoshiki shoes is fairly simple: Each shoe features a rubber sole, a fabric toe box, and “wings” that extend from each side. The wearer inserts his or her toes into the toe box and then wraps the wings around the foot, fastening them with Velcro at the heel. According to the Vibram website, the lightweight shoes can be used in a variety of contexts, but their grippy soles will make them particularly useful for water sports. The shoes are currently available in a number of colors from Hanig’s Footwear. The video below suggests that eventually a boot version will also be available.

Check them out and decide for yourself: Cool or weird? Or perhaps both?

Hanig's Footwear, $140

Hanig's Footwear, $140

Images: Vibram/Instagram; Hanig's Footwear (2)