WOW STORY OF THE DAY: From Mocked to Must-Have: Birkenstock’s Hollywood-Fueled Fashion Comeback

 

Birkenstock, once ridiculed as the “ugly sandal,” has stepped boldly into the billion-dollar spotlight, flaunted by celebrities and striding down high-fashion runways. Yet this global success story almost faltered—until a timely Hollywood intervention turned fortunes around.

 

Key Highlights: From Awkward Beginnings to Cult Classic

 

• Legacy of Comfort and Controversy: Birkenstock’s roots trace back to 1774 in Germany, anchoring generations of orthopedically inspired shoemaking. The now-iconic footbed sandal first appeared in the 1960s, but its simple, practical design clashed with ever-changing fashion trends, earning the brand a fusty and unfashionable reputation through much of the late 20th century.

• Early U.S. Reception: Margot Fraser introduced Birkenstocks to America in the 1960s, only to be rebuffed by shoe retailers who found them unattractive. Persevering, she targeted health food stores and counterculture enclaves, cementing their status as granola-hippie essentials throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

• High-Fashion Breakthroughs: In the 1990s and early 2000s, designers like Marc Jacobs put Birkenstock on the runway, and collaborations with names such as Rick Owens, Manolo Blahnik, and Jil Sander helped recast the brand as avant-garde. By 2018, the Hollywood crowd fully embraced the sandal: exclusive events brought together stars, stylists, and couture designers for limited-edition launches, reviving the allure of Birkenstock in elite circles.

 

Hollywood Twist That Changed Everything

 

• Star Power Surge: The true turning point came in the 2010s and 2020s as A-list celebrities—Zendaya, Gigi Hadid, Dakota Johnson, Selena Gomez, Cindy Crawford, and more—publicly styled Birkenstocks, blending high-low fashion and driving viral trends. Their casual, relatable looks, captured by paparazzi and social media, transformed public perception.

• Iconic Pop Culture Moments: Birkenstock’s role in the 2023 Barbie movie, where Margot Robbie’s character chooses pastel pink Birkenstocks, ignited a surge in global demand, sending summer sales soaring.

• Luxury Leap: Investment from LVMH elevated the brand’s margins to rival Dior and Louis Vuitton, enabling new product lines, colorways, and a luxury positioning while retaining the beloved comfort that made Birkenstock famous.

 

A Modern Cultural Force

Birkenstock’s journey from mocked oddity to cultural icon chronicles the rise of comfort, inclusivity, and sustainability in modern fashion. Its billion-dollar brand power today is as much about orthopedics as it is about attitude—proving that what’s once “ugly” can become, with the right twist of fate and star endorsement, the ultimate status symbol.

 

Sources: Forbes, Elle Canada, Marie Claire