Tabi shoes are turning heads from Hollywood to Melbourne. What makes this Japanese footwear so special?

These oddly shaped shoes are turning heads from Hollywood to Melbourne's Swanston Street.

First released in the late 1980s, high-end French fashion brand Maison Margiela's cloven-hoof-like tabi shoes were inspired by the Japanese footwear of the same name.

Designer Martin Margiela said he first saw them being worn by construction workers during a visit to Japan.

The brand's range these days include loafers, boots and ballet flats — the most popular retailing for $1,430 a pair.

They even have a rhinestone cowboy-boot style with a price tag of $12,790.

In the West, Margiela's polarising designs have long been a symbol of wealth and style.

But recently a new generation of celebrities have discovered the tabis, bringing them into the public consciousness.

[Source: ABC News]