The Bekett, Isabel Marant’s Iconic Wedge Sneaker, Is Back

The Balskee by Isabel Marant.

You can’t fake an icon. Though the fashion industry has tried— and failed— for decades to distill the formula for cult success, there’s no accounting for taste. Take, for instance, the Bekett: the coveted Isabel Marant wedge sneaker that has had the fashion world falling head over three-inch heel for more than a decade.

How did the Bekett’s imposing silhouette become a cultural icon? To absolutely no one’s surprise, it all comes down to Beyoncé, who sported a black suede pair in her 2011 music video for “Love on Top.” It wasn’t long before the likes of Gisele Bündchen, Wendy Williams, and Rihanna were spotted in the so-bad-they’re-good sneakers, making Marant’s design a mainstay of the kind of early aughts fashion that is now enjoying a Gen Z-led revival.

A decade after its debut, the French designer is back with a very 2021 take on the Bekett (now called the Balskee, available online). She’s a few inches taller and features a chunkier sculptural sole, but she’s timeless at heart. With no end to the industry’s sneaker mania in sight, Marant has managed to seize the moment once again.