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· Posted on
February 21, 2024

Birkenstocks evolves from "Geekenstocks" to the hottest, comfortable shoe in Hollywood

Not only are Birkenstocks comfy... now, they're cool too.

What's the key learning?

  • Birkenstocks has long gone from geeky to cool: it's worn by celebs, featured in a Barbie movie, and is now preparing to IPO for $8 billion USD.
  • Fashion trends are cyclical, so brands with a rich history can experience a resurgence by just slightly reinventing their image or product.
  • After having a serious 'moment' in the Barbie movie, the demand for Birkies have skyrocketed.

👉 Background: For a long time, Birkenstocks were considered a great shoe for comfort... but not really for their style. They were called everything from "Geekenstocks" to "Flinstone Feet" and "Jesus sandals".  

👉 What happened: In 2021, LVMH, the owner of Louis Vuitton, acquired Birkenstock for €4bn. And by 2013, Birkenstocks began popping up on fashion runways in Paris and London. Now, not only are these sandals worn by celebs, but they even featured in an iconic scene in the Barbie movie.

👉 What else: So now, LVMH is preparing to IPO Birkenstock for an estimated $8 billion USD to ride the wave. Because not only are Birkenstocks comfy... now, they're cool too.

What's the key learning?

💡In the fashion world, everything old is new again. Fashion trends are cyclical, so brands with a rich history can experience a resurgence by just slightly reinventing their image or product.

💡LVMH knew that when acquiring the growing-Birkenstock brand. And after having a serious 'moment' in the Barbie movie, the demand for Birkies have skyrocketed: searches for Birkenstock sandals for women have risen 346%.

💡 This isn't a new phenomenon though... we saw it with Crocs too when they bounced back in the early 2020's thanks to a collab with Justin Bieber.

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