Fashion loves a comeback story. But in 2025, the season’s most surprising revival isn’t a Y2K mule or a ’90s platform sandal — it’s the ghillie, naturally. The humble, lace-up shoe once found on Celtic dance floors and Scottish hillsides is now confidently stepping into the spotlight. And not in a costume-y way, either.
A shoe with purpose, the ghillie is designed to lace securely around the ankle and move with ease, though, historically, that meant navigating rough terrain or reeling at ceilidhs, not trudging to work. This season, though, designers are rediscovering its quiet versatility. At Chloé, it appeared with an open-back silhouette in soft, nappa leather; Ganni’s version came lashed with oversized eyelets; Simone Rocha’s were dusted in scarlet glitter — part Ruby Red Slipper, part ancient Highlander. Collaborating with Grounds, Sinéad O’Dwyer gave ghillies a gorpcore redesign, setting them atop sculptural, Vapormax-style soles that blur the line between tradition and futurism.
