Tabi Thief Saga / NextLevelLexuss Tabi Story

Submission 2,212

Overview

Tabi Thief Saga refers to a story shared by TikToker Alexis Dougé @NextLevelLexuss in early September, 2023. Alexis recounts her experience of meeting a man named Josh from Tinder and subsequently realizing that he has stolen a pair of expensive Margiela Tabi split-toe shoes from her house. After @nextlevellexuss continued to provide updates about her attempts to retrieve her shoes, fashion enthusiasts on TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram discussed and created memes about the event, likening it to stories about the Tinder Swindler.

Background

On September 2nd, 2023, TikToker @nextlevellexuss posted a video detailing her experience with a man named Josh, whom she went on two dates with before noticing that he had stolen a pair of shoes from her house. She recounts inviting him over to her house and talking about fashion, with Josh discussing how he wants a pair of split-toe boots, also called "tabi" shoes.

@nextlevellexuss notices that her shoes are missing a few hours after Josh leaves her apartment, and when she attempts to contact him, she realizes that he deleted his number off her phone. The missing shoes were reportedly a pair of Maison Margiela Tabi Mary Jane, which retail for around $900.

@nextlevellexuss gathered over 900,000 views and 130,000 likes on her TikTok,^[1] and an X^[2] repost of her video by @boymolish gathered over 29 million views and 99,000 likes in three days (seen below).

Developments

On September 2nd, 2023, Alexis shared some messages and responses she received after posting her initial TikTok, with people telling her that they knew Josh and that he may have gifted the stolen tabis to his current girlfriend. X^[3] user @demonicaquarius posted two screenshots of messages received by @nextlevellexuss, gathering over 24,000 likes in two days (seen below, left). Also on September 2nd, Alexis posted a screenshot of Josh's girlfriend unknowingly wearing the stolen tabis that were gifted to her, as seen in an X^[4] post by @stunnasav (seen below, right).

On September 3rd, @nextlevellexuss posted an update to her TikTok,^[5] gathering over 1 million plays and 130,000 likes in two days (seen below, left). She also posted a video^[6] of a smiling Josh returning her shoes to her on September 5th (seen below, right).

Online Reactions

Various fashion-centered accounts on TikTok, X, and Instagram discussed and created memes about the @nextlevelexuss and the tabi thief. Instagram^[7] page @throwingfits posted a Thai Political Crisis Breakup meme using a photo of @nextlevellexuss's shoe shelf, gathering over 12,000 likes in three days (seen below, left). On September 2nd, X^[8] user @TheKimbino posted a meme using scenes from Sex And The City, gathering over 8,000 likes in three days (seen below, right).

On September 3rd, 2023, X^[9] user @alexispng posted a version of the Future sending exes texts copypasta, gathering over 7,000 likes in two days (seen below, left). Also on September 3rd, X^[10] user @chescaleigh made a post that read, "not those school girl hoofs being $900?!?!," gathering over 45,000 likes in two days (seen below, right).

On September 4th, X^[11] user @clintoris posted a video of the Shein Factory Girl with the caption, "The tabi scammer leaving after deleting his number," gathering over 12,000 likes in a day (seen below).