Fashion loves a comeback story. But in 2025, the season’s most surprising revival isn’t a Y2K mule or a ’90s platform sandal — it’s the ghillie, naturally. The humble, lace-up shoe once found on Celtic dance floors and Scottish hillsides is now confidently stepping into the spotlight. And not in a costume-y way, either.
A shoe with purpose, the ghillie is designed to lace securely around the ankle and move with ease, though, historically, that meant navigating rough terrain or reeling at ceilidhs, not trudging to work. This season, though, designers are rediscovering its quiet versatility. At Chloé, it appeared with an open-back silhouette in soft, nappa leather; Ganni’s version came lashed with oversized eyelets; Simone Rocha’s were dusted in scarlet glitter — part Ruby Red Slipper, part ancient Highlander. Collaborating with Grounds, Sinéad O’Dwyer gave ghillies a gorpcore redesign, setting them atop sculptural, Vapormax-style soles that blur the line between tradition and futurism.
And it’s not just footwear enjoying a folkloric moment. Across collections by Chopova Lowena, Masha Popova, and Maximilian Raynor, there’s a clear shift toward craft, heritage, and tactile storytelling. Patchwork, embroidery, and handmade embellishments have stepped out of the craft club and onto the catwalk. Perhaps in response to our AI-saturated era, we’re seeing a collective yearning for something more grounding.
Simone Rocha Spring/Summer 2025
The ghillie falls neatly into this desire. It’s feminine without being frilly, rooted in tradition without feeling stuck in the past, and it sits at the intersection of form and function.
They’re also surprisingly wearable, so it’s little wonder that ghillies have been the dominant shoe on the festival circuit. Now, as we careen into autumn, we’re seeing the fashion set accentuate the Celtic mood by pairing them with chunky cable knit socks and argyle tights by Swedish Stockings, proving that this is a trend with staying power — several centuries and counting.
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