BIRKENSTOCK 1774_Birkenstock x Proenza Schouler by Juergen Teller
Few accessories have been as successful cross-culturally and cross-generationally as the humble Birkenstock sandal. As explained by Jochen Gutzy, chief communications officer at Birkenstock: “From our origins as a family-owned shoemaker to becoming a global zeitgeist phenomenon, our journey has been guided by an unwavering commitment to quality, tradition, and functionality, with foot health and the iconic footbed at the heart of everything we do.”
Designer Andre Walker in his Birkenstock, pictured by Amy Arbus in NYC in early 1980
A number of exciting launches took place to mark this anniversary. This included The Book of Birkenstock, a visual journey through Birkenstock's extensive archive launched in December 2024. Designed by the Munich-based design agency Bureau Borsche and co-published by Steidl Publishers from Göttingen, Germany, it’s a 688-page volume with fantastic archive images in black-and-white and in colour. It includes a wide range of never-before-seen archive materials, with early advertisements and scribbles, original photographs and iconic brand campaigns, as well as "snapshots from fans wearing their Birks around the globe", as described in their press release.
The series also includes Old Mills Never Die, a limited edition photo book set, curated by Gerhard Steidl. It celebrates the past, present and future of Birkenstock through the lenses of some of today’s most relevant photographers including Juergen Teller.
BIRKENSTOCK 1774_Birkenstock and Central Saint Martins
Complementing the book is a ground-breaking digital brand encyclopaedia, an innovative and mobile-friendly digital archival experience. The brand describes it as an immersive platform that allows you to explore Birkenstock's visual archives. It includes stories and over 600 images, including editorial content, VIP sightings, movie appearances, drawings, product shots and advertising.
How Birkenstock Became Cool
The perception of the Birkenstock sandal has completely transformed from an 'ugly' traveller's staple to a catwalk icon. Over time, it has become part of popular culture, influencing many fashion designers and being loved by celebrities.
Birkenstock was founded in Germany in 1774 to create shoes that supported the foot's shape, a ground-breaking idea at a time when shoes were made with flat soles.
BIRKENSTOCK 1774_Birkenstock x Stüssy, Photographer: Liam MacRae
It wasn’t until 1966 that the brand was first introduced in the USA when Margot Fraser—a German-American dressmaker who resided in California—visited a German spa to address some health issues she had with her feet and bought a pair of Birkenstock sandals. She was so impressed with them that she contacted Mr. Karl Birkenstock and organised the distribution of the footwear, selling it mostly in health-food stores. In the 1970s, they became popular with the American hippy sub-culture and the new aesthetic that defined their movement.
The sandals featured in the British magazine The Face, worn by Kate Moss in July 1990, and were spotted on the catwalk in Perry Ellis' 1993 Spring/Summer catwalk collection, designed by Marc Jacobs.
Birkenstock Archive Image_The New York Times Magazine_The Peak of Fashion featuring Arizonas by Marc ... [+]
Birkenstock has since collaborated with several fashion brands and personalities, including model Heidi Klum in 2003 and Valentino in Autumn/Winter 2019. Further capsule collections with designers including Proenza Schouler, Jil Sander, Rick Owens and Manolo Blahnik have also been created under the 1744 line, named after the year the company was founded.
BIRKENSTOCK 1774_Birkenstock x Valentino I, Photographer: Roe Ethridge
Working-from-home fashion during COVID-19 was another turning point for the Birkenstock. The sandals became a style staple for many, the Arizona (featuring two straps) and the Boston clog (covering the toe) in particular. Many celebrities, including Kendall Jenner, Kaia Gerber, Gigi Hadid, and Alexa Chung, adopted them as part of their daily outfit. The film Barbie, released in 2023 starring Margot Robbie, also featured a pair of pink Birkenstock Arizona sandals, consolidating its cool status.
Surging Sales
Financially, the brand has gone from strength to strength. As explained on their website, in 2013, Oliver Reichert led the creation of the Birkenstock Group. In May 2021, L Catterton, a leading international investment company focused on consumer goods, took over a majority stake in Birkenstock together with the family-holding Financière Agache of Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH.
The German shoemaker was listed on the US stock market in October 2023, valued at $7.5bn, and according to The Guardian newspaper, writing in August 2024, trade is surging. Sales of "closed-toe silhouettes," which include its clunky clogs, rose by more than twice the average for its products, and total sales for the group rose 19% to €565m in the three months to June 30, 2024.
Looking to the future, Jochen Gutzy tells me over email that as the world evolves, their mission remains unchanged: to bring the Birkenstock footbed experience to people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. He explains that while trends and hypes may come and go, their driving force remains constant—serving the needs of their consumers and staying true to their purpose of enabling “walking as nature intended”. Looking ahead, they will continue to explore how the footbed can bring value to new consumers. “Function-led design drives us as we seek innovative ways to expand the Birkenstock footbed experience into new contexts and applications, broadening its functionality beyond sandals,” he concludes.
The Book of Birkenstock
