Belanciaga Barefoot Shoe: The Zero

Belanciaga Barefoot Shoe: The Zero

Belanciaga’s The Zero, their new barefoot shoes have sparked a debate in the fashion and footwear industry. The debate is not just about their whopping $450 price, but about their claimed benefits and the overall concept of “barefoot shoes”.

Balenciaga is known to come up with crazy, over the top designs, and with this $450 shoe, they’ve done no less. These barefoot inspired shoes are made of EVA foam and as the design suggests, they aim to provide completely free movement.
The design holds the foot in place only via the heel cup and a big toe notch. The rest of the shoe remains completely exposed. Available in multiple colors, the idea is to practically have “no shoes”.


There has been large debate in the industry if this is merely a fashion stunt to stay atop headlines or if it is a concept worthy of exploring. Are barefoot shoes really healthy, or are they just another way of getting injured?

Health Benefits Of Barefoot Shoes

Strengthened Foot Muscles - Barefoot shoes usually have no cushion. This means that with every step you take, you have to engage more muscles for the movement to be complete. This puts more pressure on the arch, the fascia in the foot making it stronger over time.

Improved Ankle and Knee Stability - Wearing barefoot footwear, or walking barefoot generally can improve ankle strength. With a zero drop design, your gait cycle is bound to become more natural that aligns your body better reducing the chances of injuries up the posterior chain, including your knees and back as well.

Reduced Joint Impact - Contrary to popular belief, cushion does not mean zero impact, instead studies have shown that additional footwear cushioning only increases overall impact on our knees and our back because we strike them harder and land on our heel subconsciously. A barefoot experience forces you to land on your midfoot or forefoot, where the impact is dampened by the soleus muscle hence reducing joint stress.

Improved Ground Reaction - Barefoot shoes usually have a very thin sole that allows you to feel the ground under your feet. This strengthens your muscle mind connection and helps develop better balance, coordination and spatial awareness. 

Reduced Back Pain - Barefoot shoes have a zero drop sole, which means that your heel will be on the same level as your toes. This makes sure you stand upright naturally and don’t have to compensate with your spine for the same, reducing back strain.

Drawbacks and Limitations

While barefoot shoes are for everyone, just like being barefoot is for everyone, it is important to note that getting used to barefoot shoes takes time. This is especially true if you have existing foot problems like heel pain and plantar fasciitis. In the long run, barefoot shoes definitely help you alleviate your issues but it is important to slowly and gradually transition from your cushioned shoe lifestyle to one of barefoot shoes. If the transition is too quick or uninformed, there may be chances of re-injury.

Whether The Zero Shoe from Belanciaga is worth it? One would have to try to really know. But if you don’t have $450 to spend on an experiment, you can check out Zen Origin - India’s first barefoot shoes.

Keep moving. 

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.