The History of Moon Boots

The moon boot was inspired by the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. Shortly after the historic event, designer Giancarlo Zanatta created his own high-fashion version of Neil Armstrong’s antigravity boots: the moon boot. The innovative shoe had a space-age aesthetic and was ideal for tramping through the winter snow. In 1978, the sports equipment brand Tecnica Group began making the boots and by 1986, over 1 million pairs had been sold. During the 1980s, the style became an après ski wardrobe staple. Then in the early 2000s, moon boots entered mainstream media and became a Y2K fashion must-have with many celebrity fans. In fact, moon boots became so culturally significant that they were included in the Louvre’s collection of the 100 most significant design objects of the 20th century! Today, moon boots are making a fashion comeback as Y2K styles gain popularity among a new generation of young people.