How Birkenstock went from ‘ugly’ sandal to trendy fashion staple: the popular German LVMH-owned footwear brand elevated its status with Barbie, Kendall Jenner and collaborations with Valentino

Aug 11 , 2023

Birkenstock is getting another moment in the limelight after 250 years of history. Photo: @birkenstock/Instagram

The shoe brand, known for its comfortable cork-sole sandals, has gained popularity in recent years – and has plans to file an IPO in September, as confirmed by its owner L Catterton

With over 250 years of history, these ‘ugly’ sandals are praised for their comfort and durability, making it a Covid-19 pandemic essential – but it remains a hit today and was even featured in Barbie

Birkenstock, the shoe brand known for its comfortable cork-sole sandals, could go public as early as September.

Private equity firm L Catterton, which owns Birkenstock, announced that it plans to file an initial public offering that could value the German footwear company at more than US$8 billion, Bloomberg first reported.

Customers look at displays at a Birkenstock outlet in Paris, in February 2021. Photo: AFP

This would be one more feat in Birkenstock’s nearly 250-year history, which began with a family-run business that manufactured insoles. Decades later, the company’s orthopaedic shoes became a viral fashion trend. Most recently, Birkenstock landed a big-screen moment in the Barbie movie.

Here’s how the shoe went from “ugly” hippie sandal to coveted fashion statement.

Birkenstock has over 250 years of history. Photo: Birkenstock

Birkenstock’s history goes as far back as 1774. Church records from the time identify a German cobbler named Johann Adam Birkenstock. Johann Adam handed the trade down, and in 1896, great-great-grandson Konrad Birkenstock began manufacturing contoured insoles. Before that, insoles were usually flat. In 1902, Konrad Birkenstock developed a flexible arch support that fit inside shoes.

Konrad Birkenstock was the youngest child to the dynasty of shoemakers. Photo: Birkenstock Group

In 1925, the company became known for its blue insoles, which were called Fussbett, the German word for “footbed”. As an orthopaedic business, Birkenstock featured designs that were rooted in function over form. In 1932, Konrad’s son Carl created a training programme for podiatry and speciality footwear, which was touted by physicians as the “Carl Birkenstock system”.