Step Into Summer's Most Daring Shoe Trend

Elle

4 days ago

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When Margiela introduced the Tabi boot in 1988, its split-toe design quickly earned cult status. Decades later, in 2025, the once-niche silhouette is nearly as ubiquitous as the Adidas Samba. But in a market now saturated with cloven-toe footwear, one quiet contender has been waiting in the wings: the Nike Air Rift.
As the weather warms, you may have noticed an unusual number of bulbous, cleft-toe sneakers shuffling through the streets. You're not imagining it. The Nike Air Rift is just one of many toe-centric shoes currently enjoying a fashion moment—joining the ranks of Vibram's FiveFingers barefoot runners, Tory Burch's subtle slit silhouettes, and Kiko Kostadinov's split-toe Asics.
What sets the Air Rift apart is its unique fusion of several of today's most sought-after footwear design elements: the streamlined elegance of a ballet flat—think Puma's Speedcat Ballet or Louis Vuitton's Sneakerina—combined with the avant-garde edge of the Tabi and the all-day comfort of a sneaker. And the hype is backed by numbers: according to Poshmark, searches for 'Nike Air Rift' have surged by 95 percent since December 2024.
Despite its newfound trendiness, the Nike Air Rift actually debuted back in 1996. Designed by Nike's Kip Buck—an avid long-distance runner—the silhouette was named after Kenya's Great Rift Valley, a nod to both the region's rich running legacy and its dramatic terrain. According to Lynne Bredfelt, the brand's director of North America communications, the valley's physical landscape directly inspired the shoe's distinctive split-toe design. Sneaker historian Nicholas Smith describes the Air Rift as an outlier in Nike's archive, launched during a period when the brand was embracing a more experimental approach. It blended features from various athletic shoes, embodying the era's push toward versatile 'cross trainers.'
Until Nike re-released a suede version in 2024, the Air Rift was nearly impossible to find outside of resale platforms. Longtime fans like Fadia Kader, a talent executive at Netflix, went to great lengths to track them down—she recalls asking a friend in South Korea to ship her rare colorways. At the peak of her obsession, Kader owned 30 pairs; today, that number is closer to 10. Though technically never discontinued—Nike dropped a Liberty print iteration in 2015 and a mesh version in 2016—the Air Rift is now making a full-fledged comeback, just in time for summer, with a breathable mesh update built for high heat. 'They're not a sneaker, they're not a sandal, and they're not a ballet flat. They're perpetually unsettling,' says Kate Bauer, a content creator and PhD student.
By nearly all accounts, the Air Rift delivers a level of comfort that borders on mythic. 'They're the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn. I can do 20,000 steps in them with no socks on and be great,' says trend forecaster and content creator Mandy Lee, often dubbed the 'Queen of Freaky Shoes.' Lee picked up her first pair in 2023. At the time, her posts about the unconventional silhouette drew a fair share of criticism. Now, she says, the response is overwhelmingly positive—a testament to the Air Rift's slow-burn ascent from oddball to icon.
And at $145–$170, the Air Rift offers a far more accessible entry point into the world of split-toe footwear. 'If you're not quite ready to invest $1,000 in a pair of Tabis, it's a good way to enter that world and get the same cool factor without spending a ton of money,' says Melissa Muzyczka, a designer, content creator, and devoted Tabi fan.
Additionally, the Air Rift's patchwork, Frankenstein-like aesthetic makes it surprisingly versatile, effortlessly complementing a wide range of outfits. 'They look very chic but sporty at the same time,' Kader says. 'You can dress them up or dress them down. I wear them with dresses all the time, but then I'll wear them with leggings, shorts, or overalls. They give a little bit of everything.'
Love them or hate them, the Air Rift is impossible to ignore—both online and IRL. If you're planning to invest in just one pair of shoes this summer, these are guaranteed to be the most versatile. 'I'm not a minimalist at all, but I could easily go a month just wearing those and be pretty content,' Lee adds.