At a recent editorial meeting, the conversation shifted to a pair of The Row flip-flops that have been the talk of fashion circles this week. Not for any groundbreaking design or because celebrities have been spotted wearing them—but because they cost $690.

The arts team was baffled. The fashion team, less so. Because while the Dune Classics are undeniably expensive (and yes, possibly outrageous for what’s essentially a fancy flip-flop), nearly anything with a “luxury” label comes with a steep price tag.

Take Dakota Johnson, for example. She was photographed yesterday in Los Angeles wearing a well-loved children’s T-shirt (bought two years ago at The Row) paired with simple Birkenstocks. Even some of the wealthiest shoppers are stepping back from high fashion and opting for more practical choices.

If the Dune Classics represent fashion’s habit of turning everyday items into ultra-luxury goods (a trend that’s nothing new—remember when Saint Laurent sold cigarettes in the ’80s?), then Johnson’s worn-in Birkenstocks might be the perfect counterbalance: a refreshingly straightforward choice in a world obsessed with overpriced status symbols.

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