A YEAR BACK Sophisticated EDITORS AND BUYERS OF FASHION STORES WERE STATED IN ONE VOICE: "PRETTY UGLY". HOWEVER, ALONG WITH SHOES AND SHOES, THIS NON-SLIM SHOES BECAME THE MOST ACTUAL AND STYLISH AT THIS TIME. OK, BIRKENSTOCK.
One can hardly name a brand that has existed almost since the time of corsets, a trend. Sandals of this brand are so popular that today Birkenstocks have turned into a cut of common nouns. Briefly: Birkenstock is a German company engaged in the production of preventive shoes with an orthopedic insole that repeats the shape of the foot. It helps to maintain the natural position of the leg, which is why it is a means to prevent flat feet.
Anatomic pad developers make shoes exclusively in Germany. It is interesting that once the completeness alien to the fashion world became the reason for the demand for such a product - overweight people need thicker shoes that will not “sag” and will be no less comfortable than ordinary ones. Birkenstock sandals became an integral part of fashion already in the 70s.
For almost 20 years, until the 90s, sandals have always been attributes of hippie culture. They were worn with "boiled" flared jeans, and with wide "gypsy" dresses. And then - a 180-degree turn: the era of tall styletto, geometrically “crazy” and sculptural Prada and Miu Miu, an absolute love for Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo ... We are all used to the fact that for the sake of beauty we need sacrifices - not one and even not two, so the last seven-eight years everything revolved around the iconic statement-heels. Colored Fendi, futuristic Alexander McQueen, murderously tall Christian Louboutin.
But in the spring of 2014, everything changed: in an instant everyone "sank" to the ground by at least 12 cm. The trend to wear flat shoes got the upper hand. And, strangely enough, it was the flat, wide sandals on the strap - Birkenstock, that became the symbol of femininity and a new wave in the world of shoes. Given that they are even styled with “boyfriends” jeans, a “little black dress” and Chanel tweed suits, it becomes clear that Paris is dictating fashion again, only this time for “anti-fashion” shoes.
According to regional manager Michael Derner, this is a natural reaction of the fashion industry to recycling. Everything becomes simpler and more understandable, while the Birkenstock brand remains the same. If a year ago these sandals were “gathering dust in boxes in a warehouse”, today they are in the forefront of the windows of large department stores, such as, for example, Harrods. In 2014, the company's sales increased by 30%, and in the new year it is expected to double even more. The official figures were not disclosed, but if you compare the brand’s revenue with the income of other companies, it goes immediately after the “giants” of the sports industry Nike and Asics, who earned 27.8 billion and 3 billion US dollars, respectively, only from online sales of the zappos.com store . Who set the trend for Birkenstock? The Italian couturier Jambattista Valley reopened the authentic German brand when at the end of 2012 he created a replica of iconic metallic sandals with spikes - next spring they were already on store shelves for $ 850.
One of the most independent contemporary designers Phoebe Fileau has truly popularized and lifted sandals to a new level. The creative director of the French House Celine herself adores wearing orthopedic shoes of this brand.
However, no one could have imagined that for the key show of Fashion Week in Paris Phoebe would complement the flawless Celine collection of the Spring-Summer 2013 season with utilitarian Birkenstock shoes decorated with colored fur. Furkenstocks, as bloggers immediately called them, defeated the world of luxury studs. The designer offered to wear shaggy, comfortable sandals with a leather jacket and a silk tuxedo.
In 2014, other designer counterparts followed: Givenchy with a floral print, silver Rachel Zoe and Marni, decorated with stripes and 3D-colors according to all the canons of the sport luxe trend. Since the original design is, of course, patented, its formula is almost impossible to interpret in a new way. By the way, fitness shoes, as Birkenstock is also called, are the repeated winner of various awards in the Design and Technology nominations.
If classic models such as Madrid, Arisona and Gizeh beat sales records on the mass market, the new Unicorn models, with white soles instead of cork, as well as their alternative black version, “black blacks,” are released in a limited version. Unicorn sandals are considered unique in the fashion world, they are almost impossible to find in company stores, and all fashion bloggers are hunting for them. Perhaps they do not fit the classical definition of beauty. Nevertheless, the fact remains: they are worn in large cities more often than any other shoe, taken around the world and at Fashion Week, and most importantly - they will forever remain in history. We hope that their glory will not burn out as quickly as the glory of the well-known ugg boots.
