Fashion’s beloved hoof-toed Margiela Tabi boots intimidated me for years. Then I wore them for a week straight.

“I had no other choice than to continue with [the Tabi] if I wanted shoes,” Margiela has said. A model walks Martin Margiela's Fall 1996 RTW runway collection in painted tabi shoes. Photo by ...

To say the name Martin Margiela is to conjure images of stacked-heel tabi-toe boots and blank labels held in place with four visible stitches. The name also evokes an aura of beguiling mystery ...

With its sparse walls, exposed pipes, and undressed mannequins, Maison Martin Margiela looks more like ... with a smattering of shoes and a tiny jewelry case off to the side with unusual creations ...