This year slippers have had something of a rebrand. As we are spending more time indoors, many of us are upgrading our slippers, swapping our tired fluffy chuck-ons for something that is both comfortable, but also helps to feel like we’ve got dressed each morning. To me, my upgrade was a pair of faux fur tan ballerina slippers from Arket. And like any rebrand, slippers have a new name in 2020—the house shoe.
The house shoe is more elevated and beautiful than your average slipper, and so it’s perhaps unsurprising that one of the labels behind this is the Olsen twins’ luxury minimal powerhouse brand, The Row. They have created slippers which come in both velvet and leather, and come with a luxury price tag at £600. The Row isn’t the only label which is creating beautiful house shoes—Olivia Morris at Home makes backless loafers in beautiful rich velvets, with bows at the toe.
“I have been researching and developing Olivia Morris At Home for a year, it was a personal realisation that I was lacking in lovely shoes to wear at home, when I didn’t want to always wear a sheepskin slipper,” says Olivia. “The creative and design principals for me are the same as a shoe to wear out, but it has to be easy to slip on when I get home and make me happy when I look down at my feet! Most importantly my customer doesn’t have to sacrifice style over comfort. Some of my inspirations come from house shoes of the past so there’s a certain nostalgia, but definitely with a modern outlook. I want them to feel chic and comfortable too so my focus is on soft fabrics (velvets) and sumptuous materials inspired by interiors themselves, whether repurposed limited edition silks, deadstock interiors chintz or Moiré taffeta.”
Keep scrolling for my edit of slippers that feel a little special.
Next up, see our guide to the key trends for autumn winter 2020.