There’s a decent chance you’ve seen these shoes before deciding how you felt about them. The split-toe silhouette — sometimes called the “cloven hoof” shoe online — has been polarizing since Maison Margiela first debuted it back in 1988. But somewhere in the last couple of years, it stopped being a niche fashion-house statement and turned into one of the most searched shoe trends on TikTok. The problem is the original retails for anywhere from several hundred dollars to close to a thousand. The good news is the dupes have genuinely caught up.
Where The Trend Actually Came From
The Tabi design is based on traditional Japanese split-toe socks, dating back centuries before Margiela ever turned it into a shoe. Once the fashion house reworked it into boots and later flats, it stayed a cult favorite for years before recently exploding into the mainstream — helped along by a wave of celebrities photographed wearing the exact silhouette, which is usually the tipping point that sends a niche design into dupe territory.
The Steve Madden Option
The Steve Madden Calico flats are probably the most talked-about dupe right now, priced at just under $120 compared to the designer original’s nearly $900 price tag.The sculptural split toe, the delicate knotted tie detail, and the low half-inch heel all closely echo the high-fashion version. The main giveaway is a slightly more textured finish rather than the smoother leather of the original, but from a few feet away, the resemblance holds up. Reviewers have also pointed out they’re genuinely comfortable out of the box, without the break-in period a lot of structured flats usually require.
The Budget-Friendly Pick
For an even lower price point, the CUSHIONAIRE Maki Tabi Flats have gone viral for landing the look at closer to $48. They’re not going to fool anyone standing close up, but for a trend this size, a lot of people are buying into the silhouette rather than the exact craftsmanship — and at that price, it’s an easy way to try the style without much risk.
Handmade And Leather Alternatives
If mass-produced isn’t your preference, Etsy has a genuinely large market of handmade split-toe flats, ranging from full-grain leather versions to vegan leather options, often made to order. They tend to run a bit higher than the mass-market dupes but land nowhere near designer pricing, and you get more control over color and material.
There’s also Raboesy, a smaller retailer that’s been circulating online after being tied to a celebrity dupe moment, offering a version priced around $64 — a solid middle ground between the ultra-budget option and the Steve Madden pair.
Styling Notes
These flats tend to work best leaning into simple outfits rather than fighting for attention — straight-leg trousers, midi skirts, or even just jeans with the toe peeking out. A no-show sock with a split toe (yes, they exist now) helps a lot of these pairs fit more naturally if you’re not used to the shape.
Worth It Or Skip It
If you’re on the fence about the silhouette itself, starting with a $48–$65 dupe is the low-risk way to figure out whether the shape actually works for your foot and your wardrobe before spending more. If you already know you love it, the Steve Madden pair is the closest visual match to the designer original without the four-figure price tag.
