These flats have a cult following — but they’re nearly impossible to get

Brooke Kato
·3 min read
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Guest at New York Fashion Week in September 2023, showcasing shoe detail, white maxi dress, silver necklace, handbag and studded Alaia ballet flats
Guest at New York Fashion Week in September 2023, showcasing shoe detail, white maxi dress, silver necklace, handbag and studded Alaia ballet flats

As far as posh ballet flats go, the Alaïa Mary Janes could be considered the chicest and perhaps the most comfortable — so it’s a shame they’re near impossible to find.

Fashionistas have wiped the shelves of the cult favorites — worn by the likes of Jennifer Lawrence, Dakota Johnson and Dua Lipa — as the demand for ever-trendy flats reaches fever pitch.

“It’s always sold out,” Heather Kaminetsky, the North American president for the online vendor Mytheresa and the proud owner of a pair of black, crystal-encrusted Alaïa flats, told the Wall Street Journal.

“The only way people get it is when there’s a wait list and someone returns one. But honestly, it very rarely happens.”

The Alaïa flats — most notably sold with rhinestones or mesh — have become a wardrobe must-have for fashionistas. Courtesy Kate Foley Osterweis
The Alaïa flats — most notably sold with rhinestones or mesh — have become a wardrobe must-have for fashionistas. Courtesy Kate Foley Osterweis

The smash hit shoe is sold out “the moment they arrive” at the Long Island retailer Hirshleifer, according to the store’s global personal shopping director and women’s buyer Marci Hirshleifer-Penn.

The flat — namely, the $890 black mesh colorway — was the most requested footwear last year among clients of personal shopper Gab Waller, who has sourced the coveted shoe for “It” girls like Sofia Richie Grainge.

The brand, helmed by creative director Pieter Mulier, introduced the ballerina flats in 2022, which have since been celebrated in the form of a SoHo billboard earlier this year and served as a subtly chic alternative to the comfort wear that boomed post-pandemic.

While Birkenstocks and UGGs reigned supreme, Alaïa’s sleek, rubber-sole flat offered a more polished alternative with visual intrigue by way of texture, utilizing mesh, eyelets and rhinestone studs.

The label said in a statement that it is “happy the Ballerina is a success and has become an iconic model of the Maison,” per the Journal, as the shoe’s soaring popularity has spawned a wave of dupes offered at a lower price point for the average consumer.

Steve Madden, Reformation and Sam Edelman offer gem-adorned ballet flats for a fraction of the cost, while a mesh counterpart can be purchased from Jeffrey Campbell, Mango and Amazon.

The pricey flat has become a cult classic. Getty Images
The pricey flat has become a cult classic. Getty Images
The label said it was “happy the Ballerina is a success and has become an iconic model of the Maison.” Alaia
The label said it was “happy the Ballerina is a success and has become an iconic model of the Maison.” Alaia
The comfort of the footwear is perhaps the most appealing aspect, as many collectors laud the shoe for its ability to be comfortable for “miles.” Getty Images
The comfort of the footwear is perhaps the most appealing aspect, as many collectors laud the shoe for its ability to be comfortable for “miles.” Getty Images

Those who can afford the luxury kicks would prefer to purchase the OG Mary Janes.

In addition to the vogue colors and designs available, the draw of the Alaïa flats, which retail for as much as $1,300, is found in their comfort.

“I walk miles in them,” Baltimore-based attorney Kim Brown told The Journal. She purchased a pair in SoHo during a trip to the Big Apple, saying she detests the discomfort of high heels.

“They are absolutely worth it.”

Industry experts expect the shoe to become a pillar of fashion just two years after the style launched. Getty Images
Industry experts expect the shoe to become a pillar of fashion just two years after the style launched. Getty Images

In fact, the sensible shoe has so much sway that Los Angeles stylist Kate Foley Osterweis was converted to a flats devotee.

“I wear mine nearly every day,” said Foley Osterweis, who now owns multiple pairs of the Alaïa shoe. “I wear them driving, I wear them with jeans, I wear them to dinner, I wear them going out.”

Industry insiders are in awe of the impact of the simple shoe, now a pillar in fashion.

Rinske van den Nouwland, the co-owner of the Amsterdam shoe boutique Paul Warmer, told the Journal the footwear, which sold out in two weeks flat at her storefront last year, “fell out of the sky.” She anticipates that even when the “hype” fizzles — as the demand wanes and the fast fashion retailers find another trendy item to dupe — Alaïa’s legacy flat “will stand.”

“There are not so many hits at the moment in fashion,” she said.