It’s winter. At the height of the pandemic. Which means there are really only two types of footwear on the table right now for anyone living in a seasonal climate — especially anyone living through this week’s snow storms on the U.S. East Coast.
That would be slippers and boots. Enter Louis Vuitton, whose artistic director Nicolas Ghesquière seemed to have had some sharp foresight when he put forth a series of down-filled ankle boots on the runway at the brand’s spring ’21 Paris runway show in September.
Vuitton released the aptly-named “Pillow” boots in December as a pre-collection item — just in time for the weather to turn and for everyone to remain at home.
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But don’t call them slippers. The shoes are indeed boots, with a real outsole, which is done in treaded micro foam that is accented with a thick nappa leather piping.
Even the uppers, with all of their plush down filling, have some structure (something not usually found in slippers). The interior of the boot contains a sock-like shape made from mesh that’s also akin to a ballet flat. It holds the foot in place so that it’s not floating freely inside all of that pillow-like fluffiness.
Vuitton calls them “pillow” boots, but they also equally resemble a sturdy puffer coat, especially with their water-resistant nylon exterior (black, brown or white on the outside, signature LV logo peeking out of the lip of the ankle). They also bear an uncanny resemblance to the “sleeping bag” boot, another type of goose-down-filled, slipper-like shoe that was popular in the ’80s — which happens to be the usual decade of reference for Vuitton’s Ghesquière.
Pillow, sleeping bag or puffer, the boots are toasty, comfortable and surprisingly versatile. Consider it a way of treating your feet — and yourself — gently during this current pandemic “wall.”
