Birkenstock sandals first gained prominence throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s, thanks in large part to the hippie movement. Today, they’re characterized by their chill yet athletic appearance, and famous for their undeniable comfort, making them a mainstay in fashion circles the world over.
So, how did they become such a household name? Let’s examine.
The History of Birkenstocks
Originally, Birkenstock was the solution to creating a pair of comfortable shoes. The Birkenstock brand dates back to 1774 and was founded by cobbler Johann Adam Birkenstock. The footwear stood out at the time because of its flexible footbed design, which Konrad Birkenstock manufactured in 1896, and was sold throughout Europe during the 20th century, back when footbeds were as flat as boards.
By the ‘60s, the family brand created a single-strap design sandal and used their footbeds—made with cork and foam for the Madrid silhouette. With the help of Margot Fraser, a German dressmaker who resided in San Francisco but was visiting Germany and needed a pair of shoes to soothe her feet, the shoes made their way back to the States. Fraser bought the import rights to sell the shoes but the only establishments interested in stocking them were health food stores—near the granola section. Thus, Birkenstock's legacy of offering affordable comfort to a certain type of hippie was born.
In the ‘90s, the ugly-chic sandals resonated with subcultures in fashion due to a favored model of the time, Kate Moss, sporting the shoes while doing a photoshoot on the beaches of Camber Sands, and their increased popularity on college campuses.
What makes Birkenstocks so unique?
Today, Birkenstock is popular due to its inherent casual vibe and comfort. But also, the brand is popular due to celeb hype the brand continuously gains and retains. Celebrity street style posts can dramatically change a brand’s bottom line with just one post from a mega influencer or fashion icon, and Birkenstocks have had plenty. In the last five years, Birkenstocks were on the feet of stars like Kendall Jenner, Kaia Gerber, Gigi Hadid and Gwenyth Paltrow, and helped add to the informal, laid-back vibes that emerged from the stay-at-home days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, with everyone hopping on the “potato shoe” trend of the 2000s, originally kicking off with the brand’s Boston clog, Birkenstock proved its versatility.
Birkenstock found a way to capitalize on its dorky, and sometimes out of fashion, sandals due to the growth in appeal during the ‘90s and the early aughts. Birkenstock also offers a broad range of styles that gives potential wearers various options. If you don’t like the Boston style, you might like the Arizona style, if you don’t like the Arizona style you might like the Kyoto style.
By collaborating with iconic brands like Dior, Isabel Marant, Rick Owens, Proenza Schouler, Valentino and Manolo Blahnik, Birkenstock has even ventured into the high fashion world and acquired more staying power. But not only that, Birkenstock allowed the other brands’ design codes to shine through, which helped people not look at them as fashion’s ugly step-child. For example, Rick Owens’ iteration had a fur-covered treatment and the Dior iteration featured a felted wool upper and nubuck calfskin.
Overall, Birkenstock has solidified itself as a brand that continues to offer a comfortable, versatile sandal suitable for life’s adventures.
