WHAT RECESSION?!

Forget Eggs. The Ultra-Rich are Snapping up $380 Socks

New York brand Brave Pudding is selling sock-shoes for hundreds of dollars.

How much would you spend on socks? Despite consumers complaining about cost-of-living pressures, one New York influencer is betting big on her new line of sock-shoes, selling them for $380 a pop.

Don’t worry, there’s complimentary shipping.

Sarah Fiszel’s outdoor socks have gained support from cashed-up influencers who are backing her new pricy brand, Brave Pudding. However, others are, ahem, socking it to her online.

The expensive footwear look just like socks. But they also have a structured interior inside, allowing them to function like actual shoes.

The brand launched just 6 months ago but has already gained massive attention from A-list celebrities like Whoopi Goldberg and high-profile influencers like Arielle Charnas, Aerin Lauder, and Leandra Medine Cohen.

Not everyone’s so supportive. A range of Reddit users roasted Charnas for posting a photo of Brave Pudding’s socks, with one commenting “Why do rich people wanna look poor so bad??? Like please.”

Others said the shoes look stupid, and one said “walking outside in those seems like a nightmare!!!” and pointed to the slush, dirt, and trash on the streets.

Another added “in NYC especially that’s so nasty.”

Fiszel acknowledges the online hate, telling the Wall Street Journal that “people get so worked up about it. I’m just making socks!”

And these aren’t your typical cheap Target stocking-stuffer.

Brave Pudding is mainly made from recycled cashmere. The hard interior and recycled rubber sole give them durability to stand up straight and support your weight. They’re one of the most popular new lines in a long trend of sock-shoes, which especially gained popularity post-COVID.

It all started in 2017, when luxury fashion houses Vetements and Balenciaga debuted their versions on the runway. In 2020, The Row, founded by fashionista twins Mary-Kate and Ashely Olsen, introduced their mesh sock-slippers, triggering a wave of other brands scrambling to catch up.

When the pandemic hit, comfort footwear became a priority for consumers. People avoided deluxe parties and elegant events in the midst of lockdowns. Instead of hitching a ride to their favorite cocktail bar, Americans laced-up sneakers or lounged around in flip flops. This paralleled the rise of comfort wear and pajama pants, largely led by influencers like Matilda Djerf who advocated for “PJS all day.” The U.S. sales of slippers totaled $2.8 billion in 2024, up 5 percent from 2023.

Fiszel is the daughter of well-known real-estate broker Richard Steinberg and Renee Bross Steinberg. She grew up in New York City but frequented East Hampton, which became the inspiration for Brave Pudding’s unusual name. One of the streets is called Pudding Hill Lane, and a local legend claims that a woman in 1776 defied British soldiers who were foraging for food by throwing a pot of boiling pudding down the hill rather than handing it over. “Brave Pudding celebrates this spirit of quiet rebellion and the bravery to live boldly, one one’s own terms,” the website reads.

Fiszel continues to defend the high prices. “You look at all these young kids,” she told the Wall Street Journal. “They’re wearing Golden Goose sneakers, which are over $500.”

Brave Pudding is self-funded and sold online or at luxury retailers like Kirna Zabête in New York and Koibird in London.

The Daily Beast has reached out to Brave Pudding for comment.

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Kenneal PattersonBreaking News Intern

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