Birkenstock slippers have shed their old-fashioned image. The former ugly duckling of the industry is now one of the most popular sandals. And rightfully so.
From orthopaedic to fashionista – a little history lesson
When I’m not exploring the depths of the sea as an open water diver, I enjoy plunging into the world of fashion. On the streets of Paris, Milan and New York is where I keep my eyes peeled for the latest trends. And I’ll show you how to take them from the catwalk to your everyday life.
Most wanted: Birkenstock’s «Arizona» loafer was the second most searched fashion item in 2020. The most popular sweatpants (by Nike) only made fourth place – and that in the year of the sweatpants. Still, I’m not surprised by the hype. After spending money on things I don’t really need during the (partial) lockdown, I had to spend money on something useful. Something I use every day. My choice fell on my first «Arizonas» by Birkenstock, with which Ihave already covered many miles in my apartment – as if floating on clouds . I haven’t regretted my choice yet, except that I should’ve bought the slippers much earlier. Because they’ve always been there. They just weren’t on my radar because they look so chunky. I’m not alone in having this change of heart: since the 2018 hype around ugly dad shoes, the slippers joined the wave of success. If you haven’t been enchanted by the ugly sandals yet, you will now. Especially in times when the focus is on comfort.
In 1774, the foundation for the comfortable footwear was laid by shoemaker Johann Adam Birkenstock in the German town of Langen-Bergheim in Hesse. Since then, his knowledge of orthopaedic shoemaking has been passed down through generations. Starting in 1896, Konrad Birkenstock produced flexible insoles and sold them in his two shoe shops. With success. The demand for the foot bed inserts increased. That’s when he decides to turn the loose insoles into firm inner soles for his custom-made shoes.
It’s his descendant Karl Birkenstock who launches the first deep foot bed sandal in 1963. However, the «Madrid», with adjustable straps, isn’t well received. Since it was a new thing in the fashion industry, it took people time to adjust to it. Despite the rapid expansion of the Birkenstock range, nobody wanted the shoes. But Karl didn’t give up and his persistence paid off: thanks to international shipment (among others to the USA) and the increasing interest of doctors and nursing staff, the family business finally made a breakthrough. Especially the distribution in California contributed to the success, because the hippie scene discovered the sandals. In 1973, the brand launched its successful «Arizona» design. Nearly a decade later «Gizeh» follows. The first sandal with a thong. In just under four decades, the brand expanded into a loose association and later into a group. And for the first time in 240 years of company history, isn’t headed by a family member any more. One of the first official acts of the new management: Birkenstock enters the licensing business to explore new markets. As a result, the label is increasing its annual sales (article in German) from the equivalent of 325 (2014) to 885 million Swiss francs (2019). Not even the pandemic could harm the brand financially.
Birkenstock’s are among the winners of the pandemic. While working from home, the search for them was high: according to the fashion search platform Lyst, demand for the «Arizona» sandal has increased 225 per cent. Not surprising, if you haven’t worn them before the pandemic, you will now that comfort and functionality are the new fashion key words. If you can’t socialise on the job and spend many hours alone in a quiet room, you’ll want to do so in comfortable slippers. But hey, no one’s going to notice, are they? At least, that’s how it was for me. Now that I’ve acquired a taste for them, I don’t want to miss my «Arizonas». It’s nice that I can wear them not only as slippers, but also outside after remote working is over.
Birkenstock is a health brand. It’s visible in the shoes. Still, I have to admit that I like them more and more as I get used to looking at them. However, the inner values are much more important. Simply put: they’re insanely comfortable thanks to their anatomically shaped foot bed. It’s apparently modelled after a footprint in the sand. This makes walking in the sandals comfortable even after hours of wear. A transverse arch support, toe grips, a foot bed edging and the shape of the heel make walking particularly comfortable. In comparison to other sandals, you have the same strong grip as in closed shoes. I can confirm this from personal experience. The sole consists of two jute layers, a flexible cork-latex bedding and a suede cover that absorbs moisture.
Meanwhile, the US Americans and French have recognised the potential of German sandals: in a bid to capture markets such as China and India, the shoe dynasty sold a majority stake to investment companies L Catterton and Financière Agache, a holding company owned by Bernard Arnault, the owner of Paris-based luxury goods group LVMH earlier this year. In addition to brands such as Möet & Chandon and Louis Vuitton, the industry leader owns fashion labels such as Givenchy, Celine and Dior.
Birkenstock x Valentino Garavani. Image @birkenstock
Birkenstock x Proenza Schouler. Image: @proenzaschouler
Will this allow the slippers to enter the luxury market and become even more desirable? We know that Birkenstock had a surge of success in 2012 after Phoebe Philo, then head designer of Céline (spelled with a «é» at the time), presented her fur-trimmed reinterpretation of the sandals on the runway. Because the «Arizona» was copied by other luxury labels, Birkenstock decided to team up with fashion houses. Collaborations with Valentino, Proenza Schouler and most recently Jil Sander followed, branding the traditional shoe as a fashion item. I’m curious to see who will follow next. With Dior, the sandals are likely to become one of the «most wanted» fashion items of all time.
