We need to talk about Rihanna's shoes

Rihanna tried out one of the summer's most divisive footwear trends on the weekend. (Getty Images)
Rihanna tried out one of the summer's most divisive footwear trends on the weekend. (Getty Images)

Rihanna isn’t afraid of ‘firsts’; she was the first woman to create her own brand for luxury group LVMH; and the first female billionaire musician. So, when it comes to some of the summer’s most divisive footwear, Robyn Rihanna Fenty isn’t afraid to try them out ahead of everyone else.

Fresh from giving birth to a baby boy with partner A$AP Rocky in May 2022, the singer-come-business woman settled into mum-life by stepping away from public view, but now, Rihanna is delighting fans with a series of out-there looks as she returns to the limelight.

Despite the sweltering New York temperatures over the weekend, the billionaire mogul took to the city streets in a pair of thigh-high suede ‘pantaboots’ which have sent fans into a frenzy.

Would you wear Rihanna's suede 'pantaboots'? (Getty Images)
Would you wear Rihanna's suede 'pantaboots'? (Getty Images)

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The shoes in question? A pair of thigh-high Y/Project boots, which appeared in several colours and materials on the brand’s spring/summer 2023 runway.

Rihanna’s deep grey suede pair, like the other iterations, feature a small three-inch heel and a voluminous leg that reaches all the way up to the mid-thigh. The loose-fitting fabric cuts up to the outside like a pair of chaps and gathers at the front for that ultimate cool-girl look.

Riri paired the divisive show with a black cut-off denim skirt and a printed Noughties-style T-shirt with RZA’s 2003 album Birth Of A Prince on the front.

a model walks at Y/Prohect Menswear spring/summer 2023 catwalk at Paris Fashion Week
Y/Project's 'pantaboot' in pale blue denim on the spring/summer 2023 catwalk at Paris Fashion Week. (Getty Images)

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As if you needed any more convincing that the superstar knows how to do cool, a rare pistachio-coloured vintage handbag from Tom Ford’s spring/summer 1996 Gucci collection completed the look.

It was reportedly sourced by stylist Jahleel Weaver via Lab2022, an archive dealer specialising in the Italian designer and Yves Saint Laurent, per Vogue.

Whether the ‘pantaboot’ look will take off in the real world remains to be seen, but if one person can pull it off? It's Rihanna.

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