The Maison Margiela Tabi is now art. The ultra-exclusive Tabi Collector’s Series debuts with the Broken Mirror Embroidery Tabi, a piece of investment-grade luxury limited to just 25 pairs, hand-stitched with 8,000+ glass beads
The Tabi boot has always occupied a unique position in the fashion landscape—less a shoe and more a statement. Since its controversial debut in 1989, the split-toe design, inspired by 15th-century Japanese workmen’s socks, has represented a commitment to radical subversion and anti-establishment elegance.
Now, with the launch of the new Tabi Collector’s Series, the Parisian house elevates its most enduring icon from a cultural symbol into a bona fide piece of collectible art.
Conceived under the direction of Glenn Martens, the series is dedicated to exploring the Tabi’s form through innovative techniques and rare material exploration, essentially treating the footwear as a canvas for the most ambitious concepts.
The inaugural release for this annual series is an ultra-limited Broken Mirror Embroidery Tabi. The exclusivity alone makes this debut a significant event in the luxury market. Confirmed to be limited to just 25 pairs worldwide, it is destined for the inner circle of collectors—those who view fashion less as seasonal rotation and more as permanent investment.
To achieve its mesmerising, fractured effect, each pair is hand-embroidered by a collective of 11 dedicated artisans. This process involves applying over 8,000 individual glass beads, sequins, and metallic fragments, translating an archival technique (originally seen in the Fall Winter 2015 Artisanal collection) into a complex, three-dimensional surface. The laser-cut metallic embellishments are deliberately finished in varying shades to simulate the natural oxidation and aged allure of a cracked mirror, giving the shoe a unique depth and luminosity that transcends mere novelty. It is, in effect, a wearable sculpture rooted in the house’s legacy of deconstruction.
Margiela further underscores this commitment to craft with an accompanying film by Italian director Yuri Ancarani, tracing the journey of the Tabi from conceptual sketch to final assembly.
