the.com/birkenstock
the shoe that traded looking cool for never betraying your feet, then accidentally got cool anyway
means A German brand of contoured cork-and-leather sandals built for arch support and comfort, now synonymous with that whole flat, anatomically-correct footbed look.
from Straight from the founding family's surname: Birkenstock, a German name that literally breaks into 'Birke' (birch) and 'Stock' (stick or stock). The shoemaking Birkenstocks were cobblers in Germany going back to at least the late 18th century, and a descendant patented the now-famous contoured cork footbed in the early 20th century — so the eponym is the family that spent generations obsessing over the underside of your foot.
- origin year
- German cobbler Johann Birkenstock started in 1774
- the footbed
- contoured cork molds to your exact foot over time
- runway flip
- sold by sandstone-quarried cork, now a billion-dollar IPO
- movie star
- Barbie's flat feet famously chose Birkenstocks over heels
- sole material
- cork-latex blend, the same mix since 1963
birkenstock arizona sandal — iconic two-strap sandal first produced in 1973, now the company's bestselling style worldwide
birkenstock boston clog — closed-toe leather clog introduced in 1986, standard footwear in hospitals and professional kitchens
birkenstock gizeh flip flop — thong-style sandal launched in 1992, combines the signature contoured footbed with minimal strapping