You Can Wear Birkenstocks To Your Wedding Now (EXCLUSIVE)
Danielle Frankel's bridal Birkenstocks may be a brilliant meeting of two seemingly disparate worlds but, really, they're a sign of the times. Each gorgeous, handcrafted Birkenstock sandal and clog seen here is a reflection of the state of weddings — not just wedding outfits.
"We’re seeing our customers rethink the way they approach weddings – leaning into something more undone and less traditionally polished, while maintaining the significance of the event," Frankel tells Highsnobiety. "This collaboration with Birkenstock was built in direct response to those shifts, capturing the tension we find so compelling right now: pieces that feel relaxed and easy while feeling elevated and intentional."
Elevated is an understatement. Frankel transformed Birkenstock's most famous shoes, including the Boston clog, Arizona sandal, and Birkenstock's original slipper, the Madrid, into statement slides worthy of the New York designer's exquisite dresses.
They may be based on the ultimate everyday shoes but these are, to be sure, Birkenstocks for a special occasion. This collection, available February 12 from Danielle Frankel, Birkenstock, and international stockists that include Mytheresa and Nordstrom, is offered in womens' sizes, though a black satin Arizona will be produced in sizes that reach EU 47, or about US 13. Prices range from $660 to the aforementioned Arizona and $740 for a lace Madrid to $950 for the pearl Arizona and Tulum sandals.
This is fine footwear produced with the same artisanal eye as Frankel's bridal gowns and traditional pumps. It's just that these bridal Birkenstocks are actually good for the feet.
"Our team is constantly seeing brides gravitate towards looks that balance practical comfort," Frankel continues. "We see this shift towards weddings that feel more rooted in reality as a clear indicator of where the industry is headed in general." Not so long ago, bridal Birkenstocks would've presented an inconceivable paradox. The most formal event and the most casual shoe? No way. How much has changed in under a decade! Birkenstock now rules the sandal biz so hard that it's publicly traded.
The overdue normalization of Birkenstock as a daily driver inevitably took it beyond the realm of old folks and chefs (and people who had the good taste to pedestal comfort over trend). Still, bridal Birkenstocks are a new one. It helps that they're given the same love as any conventional wedding wearable, individually produced by hand in Birkenstock's specialty German factories.
"We approached this collaboration the same way we approach everything: by taking a piece fully apart to understand its construction and craftsmanship, at the most detailed level," Frankel says. "We did the same with Birkenstock." The designer and her team effectively had each shoe rebuilt in the Danielle Frankel style, down to uppers embellished with "exceptional" satin and pearls. Think of these less as sandals and more as "jewelry," explains Frankel.
Besides the widely available styles, one Boston clog and Arizona sandal will be customizable for clients seeking bespoke Birks to match their dresses, each offered with hand-applied paint or hand-sewn embroidery to taste.
Beyond the obviously elegant stuff happening up top, there's a crucial innovation occurring on a technical level. "When we were testing with Birkenstock we really liked the look of the Arizona’s without the classic buckles – it felt so clean," Frankel says. "Birkenstock was an incredible partner and worked with us to create the first hidden closure on the sandals."
It's a special case for special shoes. And though these Birkenstocks may share a shape with the German company's most familiar footwear, they're an elevation, as Frankel puts it.
"This collaboration, like our broader design approach, is in direct response to our deep understanding of brides today – women who want to feel comfortable and confident, while also feeling like an incredibly elevated, beautiful version of themselves," she says. "Our brides are unraveling expectations of what they’re supposed to be, and instead embracing the joy and individuality of the celebration."
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