Birkenstocks continue to be in fashion

Last January, we had left off with a wish that, unfortunately, or fortunately, does not seem to have come true. «In the hope of 2023 with fewer Birkenstocks,» we had said, pointing the finger not so much at the shoe itself, but at its ability to capitalize on the general attention, eventually monopolizing the footwear market and unifying the tastes of a good chunk of consumers. As we said, however, that hope seems to have proved to be in vain, because although the turnover between trends has become increasingly rapid, the empire of the Bostons and Arizonas still seems far from over. On TikTok, the hashtag #birkenstocks continues to travel 4.9 million views, while the one dedicated to its dupes, the copies sold at a reduced price, does not fall below 13.1 million views. A figure that matches those of last year, which indicated a 593 percent increase in searches on Lyst for Birkenstocks, elected by Yoox as the best-selling shoes of 2022. Twelve months later, the situation seems to have remained the same, and if the numbers don't say so, the attention that German shoes continue to get in the fashion world does.

Following the collaboration announced last year, earlier this month Dior announced a second part of its collaboration with Birkenstock, including luxury versions of the Tokio mule and Milano sandals, while Jerry Lorenzo chose the Los Feliz model for the collaboration with Fear of God released earlier this year. Staying in the luxury realm, a pair of custom Arizonas from Chrome Hearts worth "only" $2,500 hit the market in April. Fashion Month arrives and the first brand to ride the Birkenstock trend again is Balenciaga, which already two years ago presented its version of Arizona with a platform and studs and which, on the occasion of Resort 2024, unveiled the Sunday Mule, a version of the Boston characterized by an upper that echoes the shape of the toes. Demna's touch on what, while not an official collaboration with Birkenstock, joins a long list of sandals and mules signed by luxury brands that all too faithfully echo the design of those from the German company.

From Louis Vuitton to Gucci (which according to some rumors was supposed to present an official collaboration), the list has been further enriched with a quiet luxury heavyweight like The Row, which for its Spring 2024 collection has created an Olsen-approved version of the Birkenstock Boston. Dubbed the Vasko Slide, the American brand's version has no particular differences from its German counterpart, price aside as we might imagine. Of course, if even an uber-cool brand like Ashley and Mary-Kate's has succumbed to the allure of what used to be considered "radical chic slippers" it not only means that the Birkenstock trend is far from waning, but that it is probably experiencing yet another transformation, going from a TikTok users' fad to an expensive object of desire for those who idolize the most minimal twins in American fashion.