The Best Of Birkenstock Collaborations
- Faizal Ramli
- November 9, 2022
- Collabs, Fashion, Trending
- 0 Comments
Image courtesy of elle.com
Love them or hate them, Birkenstocks are a decidedly iconic member of the footwear family. Over the past decade, this practical, ergonomic, German-made sandal has accomplished what Crocs could not– they’ve made a comfortable shoe embraced even by those in the world of high fashion. Even though the brand’s standard line of in-line footwear makes for a great choice for everyday, Birkenstock fans will be delighted to know that the label also has a massive selection of collaborative designs to choose from.
From streetwear to haute couture, here are five of the most iconic Birkenstock collaborations that you need to know about.
Arizona Crystal Buckle Velvet in Blue, available at Birkenstock
A label famed for their sky-high stilettos, collaboration between Manolo Blahnik and Birkenstock may seem unlikely on the surface– but actually makes much more sense if you really think about it. Both labels share a passion for timelessness and functionality, with Manolo’s famously wearable and diverse designs.
After the brand’s second collaboration with Birkenstock dropped in the summer of 2022, the designer explained: “I don’t believe in trends and have never followed them. Birkenstock is the same and I have a lot of respect for this.”
In line with the footwear mogul’s ethos, this year’s Birkenstock X Blahnik collection is simply a revised version of the classic Birkenstock Boston and Arizona styles, featuring a signature, blinged-out and Blahnik-esque buckle.
Birkenstock x Dior
Tokio Mule in Embroidered Grey Felted Wool and Nubuck Calfskin, available exclusively at Dior
In celebration of both brands’ long and dedicated history of fine craftsmanship, the legendary French fashion house of Dior collaborated with Birkenstock to give their classic Tokio Mule and Milano Sandal a quintessential Dior makeover.
The delicate, hand-embroidered details on the Tokio Mule are inspired by Dior’s Haute Couture gowns from 1957, while the Milano Sandal is revisited in timelessly chic Dior Gray felt. Both designs are the epitome of elegance and functionality, and are available exclusively in Dior boutiques and on the Dior website.
Rick Owens
Arizona Black Iridescent Sandals, available at Birkenstock
With Rick Owens’ signature gothic, industrial, aesthetic and penchant for leather and plush textures, this designer certainly brings a force to the table for any sort of collaboration. It certainly seems that Birkenstock can’t quite get enough of Owens either, having released their third collaborative collection in 2021.
For this latest collab, Owens continued his love affair with the extra-long strap on Birkenstocks’ signature Arizona and Boston Styles, which has become a key element of their collaborative efforts over the past four years. This time around, Owens worked his magic into the Arizona sandal by utilising a futuristic reflective leather material for the strap, giving it an otherworldly feel.
Stüssy
Boston Stüssy Sandals, available at Birkenstock
Like Rick Owens, California-based surfer wear label Stussy has a bit of a history with Birkenstocks, having released a collection together back in 2020, which sold out almost immediately.
This time around, Stussy opted to play around with unexpected materials for Birkenstocks’ closed toed Boston clog— corduroy and suede, which gave the shoe a laid-back, streetwear feel. With two subtle, sophisticated neutral shades (Bone and Anthracite) embossed with Stussy’s trademark logo, the collection was an instantaneous hit.
Central Saint Martins
Birkenstock X Central Saint Martins, available at Birkenstock. Image courtesy of Wallpaper
In a show of dedication towards a long-term vision for continuous design innovation and celebrating the future of fashion, Birkenstock invited students from the prestigious Central Saint Martins design school in London to visit their archives. This event helped those students conceptualise and birth their unique interpretation of the Birkenstock brand based on a whole year of research.
For this collaboration, the students, who included young up-and-comers Alex Wolfe, Saskia Lenaerts, Alecsander Rothschild and Ding Yun Zhang, came up with five distinctively modern iterations of the Birkenstock sandal, all centred around Birkenstocks’ trademark comfort and wearability.
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