Ninjas wear split toe boots. But so do outdoors enthusiasts and trades/construction workers. Traditional Japanese footwear.
There has been uptake of the jika-tabi into style/fashion
So it is not a stretch that a high-end menswear brand that often channels Japanese styling cues made office ninja shoes. It made sense in someone's brain.
wow, what a great find. I will add him to the Australian makers thread later on. I never expected to find anyone from the Northern Territory doing this type of work. I might have to chat with him so l can suss him out.