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Review Women’s flats and loafers

Maison Margiela Tabi Ballerina review: worth it or skip?

Consider7.4/10 research score

Quick answer

Consider it, if you want cult design. Why: tabi ballet flat. The catch: polarizing.

By Opulique Editorial Team Updated 1 min read

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Maison Margiela Tabi Ballerina

Our verdict on the Maison Margiela Tabi Ballerina

Buy it if
you want cult design.
Skip it if
you want classic.
Best for
Split-toe cult
Key feature
Tabi ballet flat
Typical price
$900–$1,100
Check Price on Amazon Paid link

Key specifications

MaterialLeather
SoleLeather
FitTrue to size
Made inItaly

Who should buy it, and who should skip it

A good fit if you

  • you want cult design
  • value distinctive
  • can spend around $900–$1,100

Skip it if you

  • you want classic
  • mind this: polarizing

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Distinctive

Cons

  • Polarizing

The verdict in one breath

The Maison Margiela Tabi Ballerina is a beautiful piece for the right buyer, not an automatic pick. Its strength: tabi ballet flat. Read the skip-if line before you spend.

Reasons to buy

  • Distinctive

Reasons to skip

  • Polarizing

The details that matter

  • Material: Leather
  • Sole: Leather
  • Fit: True to size
  • Made in: Italy

Worth knowing

Cult.

Buy it or skip it?

Consider it if you want cult design. Skip it if you want classic; the Loro Piana Summer Walk is the better buy then. Everything else is in our list of the best women’s flats and loafers.

Alternatives worth considering

Loro Piana Summer Walk

Loro Piana · Women’s flats and loafers

Loro Piana Summer Walk

Buy it if you want the most comfortable luxury loafer.

Verdict
Buy
Best for
Quiet comfort
Typical price
$895–$1,050

Pros

  • Very comfortable
  • Light

Cons

  • Suede marks
Check Price on Amazon Paid linkRead our review
J.M. Weston 180 Moccasin for Women

J.M. Weston · Women’s flats and loafers

J.M. Weston 180 Moccasin for Women

Buy it if you want a loafer that lasts decades.

Verdict
Buy
Best for
Heirloom loafer
Typical price
$850–$1,000

Pros

  • Resoleable
  • Superb leather

Cons

  • Long break-in
Check Price on Amazon Paid linkRead our review

Frequently asked questions

Should I buy the Maison Margiela Tabi Ballerina?

Consider it, if you want cult design. Why: tabi ballet flat. The catch: polarizing.

When should I skip it?

Skip it if you want classic. The Loro Piana Summer Walk is the better buy then.

What does the Maison Margiela Tabi Ballerina cost?

Usually $900–$1,100 in the US. Luxury houses raise prices often, so check the current price before you buy.

Opulique Editorial Team

Part of the Opulique research team. We compare specifications, documentation and real-world trade-offs so you can decide faster.

How we research products Editorial policy

Maison Margiela Tabi Ballerina: the full buy-or-skip review

Is the Maison Margiela Tabi Ballerina worth the money? Short answer: consider it, if you want cult design. This review explains what this Maison Margiela piece gets right, where it falls short, what it usually costs and which designer flats or loafers to buy instead if it is not right for you.

What the Maison Margiela Tabi Ballerina does well

The headline: tabi ballet flat. The details: Material: Leather; Sole: Leather; Fit: True to size; Made in: Italy. In our list it is the pick for: split-toe cult. It usually sells for $900–$1,100 in the US.

Cult.

The trade-offs

Good: distinctive. Not so good: polarizing. Read the skip-if line before you spend: skip it if you want classic.

What to buy instead

Instead, consider the Loro Piana Summer Walk ($895–$1,050): unstructured suede moccasin on a light rubber sole. Better if you want the most comfortable luxury loafer.

Instead, consider the J.M. Weston 180 Moccasin for Women ($850–$1,000): goodyear-welted penny loafer from Limoges. Better if you want a loafer that lasts decades.

Instead, consider the Hermès Oz Mule ($950–$1,150): slip-on mule with a small H buckle. Better if you want discreet Hermès shoes.

Before you buy

Sole: rubber or rubber-studded soles last longer and grip better than thin leather soles on city pavements. Break-in: stiff leather loafers can take a week of short wears; ballet flats in soft leather need almost none. Arch and padding: many designer flats are completely flat; add an insole if you walk all day.

Buyer tip

Classic loafers and flats in black, navy or tan rarely go on sale but do last for years with resoling; seasonal colors are discounted at the end of each season.

Buying in Europe: Italian and French sizes are used on most designer shoes, and they differ from US sizes by brand. Check the house’s own size chart, and remember that many Italian brands run about half a size small.

Luxury prices move in a different rhythm from everyday shopping. The great houses (Chanel, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Rolex) raise prices once or twice a year, often in January and in spring, and almost never discount their icons. Seasonal pieces, colors and many shoes, coats and knitwear drop 30–50% in the end-of-season sales in January and from late June. Watches from brands such as Omega, TAG Heuer, Longines and Breitling, and most fragrance, see the best prices around Prime Day and Black Friday. Judge any deal against the usual price we show.

Buy from the fashion house, an authorized retailer or a reseller that authenticates and guarantees every piece, and keep the receipt, the dust bag, the box and any warranty card: they matter for repairs and for resale. Swiss watches carry a 2- to 5-year international warranty when bought from an authorized dealer, and buyers in the EU and UK also have a legal guarantee of at least two years on new goods.