Last summer, the rope sandal was a Vogue editor favourite. First spotted on the Miu Miu spring/summer 2024 runway, styled with neon plasters, the “barely-there” silhouette quickly became summer 2025’s answer to the “ugly shoe” trend. At the centre of it all was the Xero Genesis sandal, a thin-sold, packable, lace-up style that was a viral hit after Vogue Shopping’s Naomi Smart unearthed a pair in an unassuming outdoors shop in Tokyo for just £50.
Since then, we’ve been counting down the days until sandal weather returns, and now that warmer temperatures are finally within reach, the high street has, conveniently, delivered a new rope sandal silhouette to lust after.
Last week, M&S hosted its first runway show in Ibiza, showcasing a more fashion-forward direction for the British retailer. Among the lace-trimmed separates, expensive-looking leathers and summer-ready swimwear, one accessory stood out: a £30 jump-cord sandal.
The shoe of choice for many of the show’s attendees, the sandal is a nod to fashion’s recent flirtation with utility dressing. Given M&S’s recent success – from its excellent jackets to those sellout, soft leather loafers – it was only a matter of time before the high-street stalwart cottoned on to the practical sandal trend, too.
And unlike some of the more intimidating “barely-there” designer versions (like Chanel’s divisive barefoot design), M&S’s take feels actually wearable. It’s a sandal you can imagine on both gorp-core girlies and mums doing their weekly food shop at the M&S Foodhall.
So far, the M&S rope sandals come in two iterations: a red, knotted, barely-there style that resembles the sandals spotted on the Miu Miu runway (but with a moulded footbed), and a slightly thicker laced monochrome version with a more practical, gladiator-inspired feel. Expect to see them everywhere once temperatures hit 20 degrees.
