An unassuming gardening shoe, crafted from 100% recycled PVC and hemp, has unexpectedly become a coveted fashion item, clomping its way from vegetable patches onto the chic streets of London, Brighton and beyond. The Gardana clog, with its distinctive earthy hue described as both 'caramel' and 'bird-pooey', is leading a horticulture-inspired style revolution.
From French Poet to Fashion Catwalk
The story begins with French environmentalist André Ravachol, who founded the Plasticana brand in 1998. His creation, the Gardana, was designed as a practical, eco-conscious gardening clog. Pliable yet sturdy, and retailing for around £25, its appeal was initially niche. However, its fashion credentials were cemented in 2020 when the prestigious US label Bode sent them down the catwalk, catapulting them into the style spotlight.
Since then, their popularity has grown organically. They have been dubbed the "I live in Brooklyn" shoes and hailed by one TikToker as "maybe the coolest shoes in London" during a quest across the capital to find a pair. In the UK, their infiltration is most visible in creative hubs, with east London lifestyle store Straw becoming a pilgrimage site for eager buyers, often selling out quickly.
Why Garden Shoes Work on City Streets
According to Hugo MacGregor-Craig, co-founder of Straw, while most customers buy them for urban wear, it's their practical gardening DNA that makes them ideal for British weather. Gardener Josh Chalmers, who works at the Knepp rewilding project in West Sussex, is a devoted fan. He wears them for delicate work in walled gardens and then into Brighton shops, styling them with bright yellow socks and selvedge denim. "The colour together is just chef’s kiss," he notes.
Dr Bridget Dalton, a semiotician at Truth Consulting, frames their appeal as part of a broader cultural shift. She compares them to the ubiquitous chore jacket, asking if they are essentially "chore jackets for your feet". They evoke a #slowlife, cottagecore aesthetic—a borrowed sense of grounding, mindfulness, and wholesome, off-grid living that resonates deeply in today's fast-paced world.
A Blooming Horticultural Trend in High Fashion
The Gardana is not an isolated phenomenon but the zenith of a wider trend. Fashion has firmly sprouted green fingers. This movement was signalled around the time menswear designer Kim Jones created a collection inspired by Charleston, the Sussex home of the Bloomsbury set. Since then, chore jackets reminiscent of Monty Don have appeared on moodboards, and major houses from Burberry to Dior have sought inspiration in gardens.
JW Anderson recently launched antique gardening tools and his own version of gardening shoes. The clog style itself has numerous high-profile iterations: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wears Crocs' Dylan clog; Jennifer Lawrence styles hers with an anklet; and Bella Hadid favours a Proenza Schouler x Sorel collaboration. Brands from Birkenstock to Dansko and Toast all offer their own takes, placing the humble gardening clog firmly in the fashion lexicon.
Charlie McCormick, an award-winning gardener, confirms the original practical virtues: "very practical and convenient to slip on and off", good for keeping feet dry and elevated. However, their adoption by fashion raises familiar questions about the appropriation of workwear aesthetics for leisure. Yet, as they are still being worn for outdoor pursuits, they arguably occupy a permissible middle ground.
Ultimately, the Gardana and its kin sit comfortably within the 'ugly shoe' genre—a category where aspirational value comes from embracing the unconventional, the lumpy, and the earthy over traditional sleekness. They are a contradictory, cult item for our times: gross, beautiful, confusing, and increasingly hard to find as stocks dwindle under soaring demand. The humble gardening clog has officially been cultivated by fashion's richest soils.
