The moment The Row's Dune sandal first appeared online this spring, it registered as more than a simple rubber flip-flop with a textured sole. Its $690 price tag guaranteed it would be a subject of intense debate and a fixture in A-list street style.
Sure enough, outlets from The New York Times to individual Substacks weighed in on the Dune sandal's triple-digit price—and whether it had earned it. The chatter didn't stop Jennifer Lawrence from pairing hers with flip-flops with jean shorts and postpartum lounge pants alike. Dakota Johnson's sandals joined Lululemon leggings and a T-shirt for a Malibu errand run. Neither Zoë Kravitz nor Kendall Jenner were satisfied with just one pair: While the sandals sold out quickly, both managed to acquire The Row's flip-flops in its two colors (red and black).
The more the Dune sandal came up in online conversation, the more everyone offline seemed to want it, regardless of the price tag. (For an It-shoe-in-waiting, all press is good press.) Now, there are hard numbers proving this not-so-humble sandal is at the top of the accessory pyramid. According to the fashion search engine Lyst, The Row's Dune sandal is the "Hottest Item" for the entirety of Q2 2025.
Lyst evaluated more than eight million online product listings, alongside social media posts and search queries, to crown the Dune sandal the number one item on its quarterly It list. According to the company, searches increased by a whopping 162 percent. All those queries for Mary Kate and Ashely Olsen-approved flip-flops also sent The Row soaring on Lyst's Brand Index. It's now ranked sixth, behind Coach (whose It bags are another celebrity favorite) and Cos (the lone affordable ready-to-wear label on the list).
Shoes by The Row are usually championed by the Dakota Johnsons and Zoë Kravitzes of the world. They accumulate hype every time they appear in a paparazzi shot outside hotspots like Sushi Park and Chez Margaux, usually styled in a jeans-and-flip-flops outfit. But the Dune sandal transcends It girls' closets to be a luxury gender neutral staple. Lyst noted that searches for Dune sandal shot up even higher after Jurassic World: Rebirth star Jonathan Bailey wore them on the red carpet.
The conversation around the Dune sandal is what made it rise in the Lyst rankings, according to its report. Every article debating its quality or sharing how a celebrity styled it only made it more aspirational. "Viral visibility reframed the once-basic shoe as a fashion-forward summer staple—proof that simplicity, when styled right, can carry surprising weight," the report said.
Never mind that these sandals have plenty in common with boardwalk pairs. In a see-and-be-seen digital fashion economy, shoppers want the Saint Tropez alternative. The same phenomenon happened with The Row's Barn tote: a simple striped bag that gained a cult following because of its four-figure price tag and aura of inaccessibility.
Lyst's Hottest Products List is dominated by shoes this quarter, including Isabel Marant's sneaker wedges and Ancient Greek Sandals' Iro jelly flats. They all gesture at the way designers jumped feet-first into shoe design this season: luxury toe rings and haute couture flip-flops are outpacing ballet flats and chunky sneakers as must-have items.
The Row's Dune flip-flop dominance won't last forever. Open-toe sandals' potential for wearing year-round depends on the climate, after all. But the brand has proven time and time again that it knows which shoes women really want to wear, from its Mara jelly sandals to its Zipped I boot. Whichever design tops the Lyst report next season, the fashion industry will step right up to shop it.
