Feline good: why kitten heel flip-flops are winning over flats-only gen Z

Kitten heel flip-flops, worn here by Gili Biegun at Paris fashion week, are proving popular with gen Z. Photograph: Raimonda Kulikauskienė/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Kitten heel flip-flops, worn here by Gili Biegun at Paris fashion week, are proving popular with gen Z. Photograph: Raimonda Kulikauskienė/Getty Images Feline good: why kitten heel flip-flops are winning over flats-only gen Z From Lily Collins at Wimbledon to cast of Love Island, heels-averse cohort is stepping it up a notch Gen Z, the flats-only generation, has finally succumbed to the heel – albeit a tiny one. Long vocally anti-heel, the cohort who were born between 1997 and 2012 have famously shunned millennials’ obsession with Jimmy Choos in favour of pancake-flat shoes, from the “It-trainer”, Adidas Sambas , to split-toe Margiela Tabi’s and so-called “French girl ballet flats” . But they now appear to be embracing a potential gateway heel, typically measuring in the region of 1.5in or the height of a triple-A battery. The kitten heel flip-flop has been seen on the feet of trendsetters Hailey Bieber and model Kaia Gerber, and featured in countless TikTok ‘fit-checks’ ; a street-style favourite, the shoe has become a way to channel the slinky style of the 90s this summer. It’s also been the heel of choice for spectators in the Wimbledon crowd, as well as for contestants in the Love Island villa. Emily in Paris star Lily Collins styled her black Manolo Blahnik pair with a white bandeau and capris for the men’s final last week, while several of the ITV show’s Islanders have sported them while pulling potential love interests for chats by the fire pit. On the high street, John Lewis says sales of kitten heel toe-post shoes, which feature a strap between the big toe and its neighbour, shot up 300% compared with last year, adding that the £109 thong sandals from its collection with Rejina Pyo “sold out very quickly”. View image in fullscreen Lily Collins, pictured with husband Charlie McDowell, wore a pair of Manolo Blahnik kitten heel flip-flops to the Wimbledon men’s final. Photograph: Hoda Davaine/Getty Images for Emirates Luxury fashion labels including Chloé, Bottega Veneta and Max Mara have sent them down the catwalk, while searches for kitten heel flip-flops on resale app Depop have jumped 260% since April; at Vinted they are up 209% year on year. Meanwhile, fashion search platform Lyst reports a similar 202% surge in demand quarter on quarter. So why is a revamp of the humble flip-flop persuading gen Z to finally step into heels? Natalie Munro, a news writer at digital fashion publication Who What Wear, says the appeal lies in the fact that it’s a heel that doesn’t necessarily feel like one: “It’s still got that casual energy … so it’s not a very intimidating heel to wear.” Part of that is, of course, its diminutive height. In-demand versions from brands like Toteme, Miu Miu, Zara and Vivaia measure between 1.5 and 2.1in, offering minimal lifts – perfect starter heel