The Thong Has a Whole New Meaning This Year—Here's Why

Every luxury buyer I have spoken to for the S/S 20 season has mentioned thongs. This isn't an underwear trend, however, as thong sandals are set to be the key shoe for summer. They're anticipated to be just as popular as barely there strappy sandals.
These are essentially heeled flip flops, with a strap falling in between the toes and a thin stiletto heel. The trend falls under the umbrella of '90s minimalism and is one of the most bought-into accessories by fashion buyers for spring 2020. Net-a-Porter anticipates it will be the shoe of the season, with 36 other versions arriving for spring. Gianvito Rossi is the leading designer here with its Calypso 70 shoe. Net-a-Porter sold 1600 pairs of these in just one week last March. It is already starting to filter into the high street, as Topshop has created thong sandals, and a beautiful croc pair is arriving at Kurt Geiger imminently.
Keep scrolling to see—and shop—the thong sandal trend.
Shop Thong Sandals
Next up, see our guide to the key trends for S/S 20.

Emma is a freelance fashion editor with over 15 years experience in industry, having worked at The Telegraph, Grazia and, most recently, British Vogue. Emma was part of the founding team of Who What Wear UK, where she worked for six years as Deputy Editor and then Editor—helping shape the team into what it is today is one of the biggest privileges of her career and she will always see herself as a Who What Wear girl, contributing to both the US and UK sites. Whether she's writing about runway trends or spotlighting emerging brands, she aims to write about fashion in a way that is democratic and doesn't promote over consumption.
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