Boom in searches for Margiela after Tabi theft reported on TikTok

As the industry is getting ready for the start of Fashion Month, a rather ridiculous incident may have completely turned the fortunes of brands and their respective reputations upside down. It's only been a few days since a young New Yorker - later named The Tabi Swiper - stole a pair of Tabi Margiela's from his Tinder date's flat and, according to @databutmakeitfashion's most recent meme and what was later confirmed by Lyst, positive interest in the Maison Margiela's Tabi shoes has already increased by 200% in the last week, climbing the Lyst Index ranking. Is it possible that a Tinder date gone wrong and a video on TikTok could be enough to arouse the interest of so many people? Faced with such disconcerting data, the influence that the social network continues to imprint on the fashion world is evident, as is the potential behind its impact.

The case of the Tabi Swiper and the subsequent surge of interest in Maison Margiela certainly serves as a lesson for brands, because just as the spotlight of the fashion industry should be on two of the most glamorous and coveted events on a global scale, the Venice Film Festival and Fashion Month, fans and consumers prefer to follow far more intimate stories. It now seems like the story of a fashion victim who let his impulses get the better of him, snatching a pair of Mary Jane Tabi's from another fashionista moments after their union, could actually sell more than Jacob Elordi's red carpet outfits photos. Whether the theft was premeditated or not we do not know, but one could say there's something so cinematic about the constant surprises this affair holds.