Julia Fox’s rise from downtown persona to smokey-eyed A-lister was swift. First came the role of fictional bombshell girlfriend to Adam Sandler’s Howie in Uncut Gems, and then the red-hot IRL love interest to a newly single Kanye West. Fox has cycled through a whirlwind of fashion along the way: low-rise latex pants, Glenn Martens’s arthouse-era Diesel, Schiaparelli’s surrealist leather. Basically, she gravitates towards the type of high-wattage, high-fashion looks that ricochet across the internet. So, it’s a delightful surprise to learn that Fox’s off-duty footwear choice this summer is the cult-loved, menswear-approved Merrell Hydro Moc.
Last month, she was photographed on a breezy summer day in a white tank top, black jeans, and the aforementioned Hydro Mocs. Fox bought the black colorway, of course. (She is a true New Yorker, after all.) The following week, she posted a close-up of the kicks on her Instagram story (as screenshotted by GQ’s own Eileen Cartter), going so far as to link for her followers to buy. She also posted a video on TikTok where she is casually drilling into the front of her call to presumably install a license plate. Her footwear of choice for the task? The Hydro Mocs, of course. (Fox went as far as to reply to one commenter to confirm she was indeed wearing Merrells.)
The appeal of the Merrell Hydro Moc is wide-ranging, and its club of loyal wearers seems to grow by the day. It’s comfy, light, and breezy, checking all the boxes for an easy-wearing summertime shoe. The rubbery ruggedness is enough to handle city streets, and its weirdo design has slowly but surely won over the style-inclined. Seeing someone with the world of fashion at her fingertips opt for a $55 water shoe is a delight. Instead of opting for the designer version of a rubber clog, Julia Fox went straight to the humble source—perhaps her winking way of saying she may be ultra-famous now, but she’ll forever be in the know.
Shop the Merrell Hydro Moc clog below.
