Brief history of the 'go-go boot': second skin boots are back, reinterpreted by Miu Miu and Chloé | Fashion

In 1964, as if to predict the space race that would culminate shortly thereafter, André Courrèges presented his collection The Moon Girl look. Her mannequins dressed in synthetic fabrics such as lurex and elastane, trapezoidal dresses and low-waisted miniskirts that rivaled Mary Quant in terms of authorship, would usher in a new era called It was spacey.

A drastic break for the female wardrobe in the form of pop futurism, in the context of the Cold War and the second wave of the feminist movement that would explode shortly thereafter. “We no longer walk in life. We run, we dance. You drive a car, you take a plane. Even your clothes must be able to move.” The statement that accompanied his famous collection placed the emphasis on feet, with a curious mid-cut boot with a flat sole that would replace nylon stockings and heels.

The etymology of the term by which this shoe became known –the go-go boot– refers to the French expression go go which we could translate as “in abundance, without limits”, and the colloquial slang in Anglo-Saxon countries to use the word go when something is in fashion, in addition to the tagline adopted by dancers in nightclubs of the moment such as the famous Whiskey a Go Go, in West Hollywood.

As quickly as he entered the mod and youth culture of the time, the inches of his shaft and the height of his heel also increased. Thus, it took the form of a second skin up to the thigh in mosquito net version, and was formulated as a single piece together with the socks in the Pan-T-boot.

Three evolutions of the go-go boot: the endless Pan-T-Boots, the thigh-high over-the-knee boot and the original mid-cut boot introduced at London Fashion Week in 1965. You see

“These boots are made for walking. And that’s exactly what they’ll do. One of these days, these boots will trample you.” The letter from These boots are made for walking, written by Lee Hazlewood and made famous around the world by Nancy Sinatra in 1966 dressed in her clothes on countless occasions, it strengthened that insurrectionary message that looked to new times – this time, as an ardent revenge – formulated a few years earlier by Courrèges himself.

Francoise Hardy and Jane Fonda remained faithful to their tight shape in the seventies,You see

On an aesthetic level, its stylized sole in shiny leather, vinyl or patent leather in striking colors, black and white and metallic sets – with the later addition of suede, influenced by hippie culture – became a status symbol, winning fashion editorials and a wardrobe staple of a multitude of celebrities.. Francoise Hardy, Brigitte Bardot and Jane Fonda remained faithful to their skintight shape in the Seventies, popularized by era temples such as Biba and Battani Boutique (whose original designs are listed at astronomical prices in online auctions).

Golo and David Evins boot drawings from 1971. You see

After countless interpretations in the following decades – that of Frida Giannini for Gucci at AW 2014 was perhaps the most memorable –, Miuccia Prada is the main culprit of its relaunch this 2025. In the Miu Miu autumn show presented in Paris, there was an imprint that caught all the eyes: an identical go go start with a buckle that Battani Boutique and the Englishwoman Zandra Rhodes popularized in the seventies. Adhered to a nappa leather covering in bright colors such as purple, red or caramel, the 1,850 euros that surround its label are not an obstacle to its availability worn out in almost all dimensions.

Miu Miu FW 2025 collection. launchmetrics.com

Its slightly square toe connects to another key model of the season: Chloé’s Janis boot. Recognizable for the flared heel with Victorian echoes (very popular even in the Seventies), the stitching on the front and an elastic fabric with a leather effect, it is in line with that ideology. hippie chic something that its creative director Chemena Kamali has been doing for seasons (and everything suggests that it will continue over time).

Fidelity to the models of the time is the basis of a trend that yields experimentation to color and the influence of more resistant and lighter materials. This is the case of Jil Sander, which takes up the original mid-cut with a slightly offset heel. Courrèges, however, adds to its Reissue line, which delves into the greatest hits from its archive, a slightly taller and more refined vinyl design, with the AC logo on the tip that will delight any fan of the era.