There are no more comfortable sandals than those bearing the Birkenstock label. Women's sandals with the logo of this brand have become so iconic that it's hard to resist their appeal. Where did the idea for "orthopedic" sandals come from and how did it happen that seemingly unattractive shoes are so popular today?
Birkenstocks, as they are colloquially called, conquered fashion trends about a decade ago. First, celebrities began to wear them for walks with dogs, and over time, a large group of fans around the world were also convinced. Over time, the male part of the audience also joined the women, valuing above all practicality and comfort. After all, Birkenstock is known for the fact that once you put them on, you will never want to put on other shoes again! Is the brand's history as young as the phenomenon of "ugly sandals"? On the contrary, the origins of the Birkenstock brand date back to the ... XVIII century.
As early as 1774, we find in historical documents a mention of a certain Johann Birkenstock, a shoemaker from the German town of Langen-Bergheim. Nothing is known about his son or grandson, who would inherit the craft from Birkenstock, but at the end of the 19th century, the figure of Konrad Birkenstock, Johann's great-grandson, who is today recognized as the official founder of the brand, emerges.
It was Konrad Birkenstock who seriously started producing modern, flexible insoles for the time, which were then improved every decade to fit the foot of the person wearing them. From the beginning, Birkenstock took on the honor of making custom shoes, measured to the millimeter, to best fit the customer's needs.
What were the first Birkenstock shoes? Women's sandals did not yet see the light of day at that time, but the insoles designed by Konrad Birkenstock were inserted into women's low-heeled boots, which women wore at the beginning of the 20th century. Their color was very characteristic - blue - so it was easy to recognize them in the magazines published during this period. Over the years, Konrad Birkenstock perfected his product, lectured for shoemakers, and traveled around the world, selling licenses for innovative shoe inserts.
Cult Birkenstock insoles - women's sandals conquer the market
In the following years, the family business developed vigorously, and Karl Birkenstock undertook the popularization of the insole developed by Konrad. At the same time, he strove to present the product to a wide range of orthopedic doctors, who quickly applauded the idea and recommended it to their patients for everyday wear. In the mid-20th century, the patented Birkenstock system became a benchmark for healthy footwear, and the handbooks published under the Birkenstock brand were the most popular guides in this field.
When did the famous sandals that we know today appear in the brand's history? The first model saw the light of day in 1963 and immediately became number one recommended by specialists in healthy footwear. The following decades are the development of the empire, to which the sons of Karl Birkenstock joined. Production possibilities are gradually increasing, semi-finished products are being improved, and in the end, new models appear. Among them are today's popular Birkenstock thongs, which can be seen on the streets of cities in the summer months along with the Madrid and Arizona models.
PERMANENT COLLECTION
Birkenstock
‘Boston Big Buckle’ slides
Birkenstock Shoes - Thongs, Madrid or maybe Arizona?
Today Birkenstock shoes are available in many color variants, regardless of whether they are Birkenstock Arizona, Birkenstock thongs, or completely different models that still appear in the brand's offer. Although just a dozen or so years ago they were considered typical orthopedic shoes, today they are considered the most cult sandals in the world. Where does their phenomenon lie? Primarily in the fact that they really adapt to the foot so that from the first minutes you can feel the comfort of walking. Secondly, despite quite a clunky design, Birkenstock can be matched to almost any styling - to short trousers, long pants, and airy dresses. They add character and a strong accent to the styling, and this is always well seen in fashion.
