Fashion’s obsession with nostalgic summer shoes isn’t slowing down.

It is officially a jelly shoe summer.

Between nostalgic fisherman sandals, playful flip flops, transparent textures and colourful rubber shoes suddenly appearing everywhere again, fashion has fully fallen back in love with the slightly chaotic energy of childhood summer footwear.

And honestly? The new Melissa x GANNI collaboration might be one of the best examples yet.

The collection takes Melissa’s signature jelly-shoe DNA and filters it through GANNI’s very specific brand of playful Scandinavian cool. The result feels nostalgic, slightly ironic and weirdly chic all at once.

For years, jelly shoes lived in the category of “ugly fashion items people pretend to like ironically.” But somewhere along the way, that irony disappeared. People genuinely started loving shoes that felt fun again.

Which makes complete sense in the context of where fashion is right now.

After years dominated by ultra-minimal dressing, stealth wealth and algorithm-approved outfits, there’s a growing appetite for pieces with actual personality. Shoes that feel emotional, memorable and slightly ridiculous in the best possible way.

Jelly shoes tap directly into that feeling.

They’re nostalgic. Playful. Slightly impractical. Instantly recognisable. And somehow they make every outfit feel less serious.

What makes the GANNI collaboration work especially well is that the styling still feels grounded enough to wear properly. These aren’t just novelty beach shoes. They work with oversized tailoring, baggy denim, slip dresses and all the relaxed summer silhouettes fashion is currently obsessed with.

And honestly? That balance between whimsy and wearability is becoming one of the defining aesthetics of 2026.

Fashion still wants chicness. It just wants charm again too.