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Amid a mental health crisis, toy industry takes on a new role: building resilience
Amid a mental health crisis, toy industry takes on a new role: building resilience
As more children emerge from the pandemic grappling with mental health issues, their parents are seeking ways for them to build emotional resilience
2023-10-14 21:30
Israel Latest: Army Focuses on Gaza City as Ground Attack Looms
Israel Latest: Army Focuses on Gaza City as Ground Attack Looms
Israel is focusing its main military activities on Gaza City in the north of the Gaza Strip, as
2023-10-14 14:22
Birkenstock or bust: How a deeply uncool shoe became a modern must-have
Birkenstock or bust: How a deeply uncool shoe became a modern must-have
How do you define “cool”? Maybe it’s ostentation. Maybe it’s exclusivity. Maybe it’s a 250-year-old orthopaedically inspired German shoe. In 2023, odds are it’s the latter. This week, it was announced that Birkenstock had landed on the US stock market with a $7.5bn (£6.1bn) valuation, more than double its worth in 2021. If you’re unfamiliar with these absurdly comfortable sandals, the classic “Arizona” Birkenstock features a layered sole made of jute fibre and moulded cork, offering your foot some serious support, with two thick suede straps coming in some sort of earthy hue. The brand itself dates back to 1774, when founder Johann Adam Birkenstock started making shoes near Frankfurt. But for a long time, the shoes themselves were the pinnacle of dorkiness. There was nothing chic about the geek connotations, either. They were just, to put it bluntly, a bit lame – often associated with exceedingly earnest, granola-eating American liberals, and dubbed everything from “Geekenstocks” to “Flintstone feet”. You get the idea. Today, though, Birkenstock sells roughly 25 million pairs of shoes a year, and the brand is seen on and celebrated by stars such as Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Katie Holmes and Sienna Miller. Some have even been spotted wearing them with socks, demolishing decades of jokes about a look once considered fashion’s cardinal sin. It all adds up to form the greatest redemption arc in footwear. But how has one company managed to pull off a complete 180, as if transforming a pumpkin into Cinderella’s glass slipper? “The German engineering that has gone into this product actually speaks for itself,” says fashion analyst and author of Look at the Labels, Jennifer Walderdorff. “There are no gimmicks: the shoe does what it says on the tin. Its reliability is what [makes it] a fashion staple.” It has not been a quick turnaround, though, its reappraisal starting – sort of – in the 1990s. Fashion fans may recall the famous photos of Kate Moss taken in 1990 by Corinne Day. They show Moss, then 15, posing topless on a beach in Camber Sands, smoking a cigarette in a series of shots that would later make her one of the most influential models and faces of her generation. But there is a small fact about the photos that often gets forgotten: Moss is wearing Birkenstocks in them. It took a little longer for the trend to catch on properly. In 2013, Oliver Reichert became the first person outside the Birkenstock family to run the company, and it’s his leadership that’s helped steer the brand’s perception. It was that same year, for example, that Birkenstock began making appearances on runways: Céline models wore blue fur-lined sandals inspired by the German shoe, while A-list stars including Naomi Watts and Ashley Olsen started wearing them out and about. That summer, American Vogue declared that its staffers had, against all odds, “fallen for the Birkenstock”, noting how “a bulky shoe is actually more flattering on the leg than you would think”. In the world we live in today, there is so much more room for fashion and function, hence the appeal of the Birk Jennifer Walderdorff, fashion analyst It’s from here that the humble Birkenstock began its ascent into the heart of the fashion zeitgeist. By 2017, there were designer collaborations, with Barneys New York partnering with the brand to release a limited edition line of pink fur-lined sandals. Collaborations followed with other brands including Opening Ceremony, Rick Owens, and, most recently, Valentino. But as the latest valuation shows, the brand found a new lease of life this summer. You could barely step outside your house without spotting a pair. As for what’s fueled this recent surge, we can look to the pandemic, when we forwent shoes entirely and got accustomed to putting our comfort above all else. When lockdowns were lifted, all of us re-emerged with a shifted set of sartorial priorities, with high heels falling further down the totem pole in terms of stature and status. Today, there is nothing trendier than having your feet close to the ground. What is particularly interesting about Birkenstock as a brand is that despite the constant movement of fashion trend cycles, the design of its signature shoe hasn’t changed. “Birkenstock has lasted so long and grown to be the super giant it is because of the awareness and availability of information on its benefits,” adds Walderdorff. “There are lots of clothing items that are no longer worn due to their detrimental effects on the body, like corsets, which realign your internal organs to no gain. Similarly, overwearing high heels contributes to foot deformities. In the world we live in today, there is so much more room for fashion and function, hence the appeal of the Birk.” The rise of “normcore” can also be attributed to Birkenstock’s popularity. Characterised by unpretentious, utilitarian and functional clothing, the trend lends itself to the aesthetic of an orthopaedic shoe. “Normcore” also provide Birkenstocks the air of new wave edge, the shoes slotting neatly into a look that has become particularly popular among east London hipsters – take one look at the Instagram meme account Real Housewives of Clapton (which parodies a very specific type of natural-wine-drinking, Perello olive-eating, east Londoner) and you’ll see what I mean. Fashion has also generally seen an exponential rise in flat shoes. According to the Lyst Index, the industry’s quarterly report ranking fashion’s hottest brands and products according to Google searches and social media mentions, the season’s must-have is the Maison Margiela Tabi, a split-toed Japanese-inspired loafer. In fourth place is the Nike x Martine Rose Shox MR4 Mule, a pair of Tory Burch mules came in sixth place, New Balance trainers in eighth. And what was in fifth place? None other than the Birkenstock Arizona, of course. Perhaps the final hurdle for Birkenstock was to align itself with the feminine ideal – a space previously occupied by stiletto heels. Now, though, changes in attitudes around feminism and how feminist ideologies can be expressed through a woman’s clothing and appearance – yes, feminists can wear makeup! – has created a space for Birkenstock after all. In fact, this formerly frumpy shoe is now being perpetuated as the bastion of femininity. Don’t believe us? Simply take a look at the hottest film of the summer. At the end of Greta Gerwig’s stellar Barbie, our hero (played by Margot Robbie) has undergone a major emotional transformation that has seen her find a sense of purpose and identity. Gone are the feet once permanently raised so that they were perfectly positioned for a pair of heels. By the film’s conclusion, Robbie’s Barbie is an autonomous figure, a woman epitomising everything about contemporary feminism. And that includes having feet that are flat. Her footwear of choice? Why, a pair of pink Arizona Birkenstocks. Read More The grown-up guide to getting ‘balletcore’ right The Barbie press tour has finally rescued Margot Robbie’s red carpet reputation Birkenstock sandals are Barbie-approved – these are the pink styles to buy now Taylor Swift’s jacket from Chiefs game hints at Travis Kelce romance From choppy bobs to fox red, 5 celebrity-approved hair trends for autumn How Taylor Swift’s style has evolved over the years
2023-10-14 13:50
Flying to Singapore? These Executive Tips Make It a Better Trip
Flying to Singapore? These Executive Tips Make It a Better Trip
(Bloomberg Markets) -- If you work in finance, there’s a good chance Singapore is on the short list of places
2023-10-14 10:20
Trauma Over Hostages Shapes Israel's Unflinching Gaza Response
Trauma Over Hostages Shapes Israel's Unflinching Gaza Response
Family and friends were ringing Avshalon Haran’s mobile phone for hours on Oct. 7 before a stranger abruptly
2023-10-14 02:21
Black student disciplined over hairstyle hopes to 'start being a kid again'
Black student disciplined over hairstyle hopes to 'start being a kid again'
For more than a month, Darryl George, a Black high school student in Texas, spent each school day sitting by himself in punishment over his hairstyle
2023-10-14 01:57
A Million Gazans Have Nowhere to Hide From Coming Israeli Troops
A Million Gazans Have Nowhere to Hide From Coming Israeli Troops
Mohammed Dawoud had already been sheltering in a UN-run school in Gaza City for days when news began
2023-10-14 01:23
Goodbye to more DVDs? Best Buy plans to phase out sales of physical movies in the coming months
Goodbye to more DVDs? Best Buy plans to phase out sales of physical movies in the coming months
Best Buy is saying goodbye to movie-watching with physical discs
2023-10-14 00:22
Chicago Bets on Big Events and Hotel Revenue to Plug Deficit
Chicago Bets on Big Events and Hotel Revenue to Plug Deficit
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is counting on tourists and residents spending more to have fun, take ride shares
2023-10-14 00:18
Selena Gomez feels she needs to 'give back' after therapy
Selena Gomez feels she needs to 'give back' after therapy
Selena Gomez has opened up about her journey with her mental health, and how she must "give back" after having therapy.
2023-10-13 21:18
Julia Garner reveals lemon water secret that keeps her looking radiant
Julia Garner reveals lemon water secret that keeps her looking radiant
'Ozark' star Julia Garner says drinking lemon water each day helps keep her skin healthy, hydrated and radiant.
2023-10-13 20:20
Taylor Swift Is Coming for Barbie’s Box Office Record With Debut of ‘Eras Tour’ Film
Taylor Swift Is Coming for Barbie’s Box Office Record With Debut of ‘Eras Tour’ Film
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is poised to shatter records for a concert film this weekend — and
2023-10-13 19:57
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