Well, well, well. Don't I feel special. Back in early 2022, I was calling out these sleek slide sandals seen in Fear of God ESSENTIALS' Summer and Fall 2022 lookbooks as Birkenstock-like and guess what? Turns out that's exactly the case.
On January 18, Fear of God and Birkenstock introduced their debut collaboration, a new sandal style called the Los Feliz, named after the exclusive Los Angeles neighborhood.
Like the place from which it gets its name, Fear of God and Birkenstock's Los Feliz is all clean lines and luxury detailing, a — dare I say — extra minimalist take on Birkenstock's already understated sandals.
“We’re always attempting to create a product that’s rooted in function and necessity, that is preceded by a clear aesthetic point of view,” Fear of God founder Jerry Lorenzo said in a statement.
“The Los Feliz sandal is a sleek and tangible expression of both brands shared guiding principles of intentionality and inclusivity,” CEO Oliver Reichert continued. “By fusing the BIRKENSTOCK footbed and single strap design with Fear of God’s distinct and refined aesthetic, we continue to foster innovation with likeminded visionaries.”
Read: ultra-easy, effortless footwear that epitomizes both the Fear of God aesthetic and Birkenstock's signature approach to uncomplicated comfort.
The resulting design is equal parts Birkenstock and Fear of God.
For instance, the Los Feliz has the typical cork-latex footbed you expect of Birkenstock's sole-supporting sandals but FoG wrapped the footbed in plush suede and added a subtle 10mm-tall boost to the sole with a layer of translucent TPU rubber to give the slide sandal a higher profile.
Meanwhile, the forefoot strap — offered in textural suede or fuzzy felted wool — is as understated as the footwear that Fear of God itself designed, with the quiet, easy utility of Birkenstock's contemporary sandals.
Also keeping true to Fear of God's family-first focus, its Birkenstock Los Feliz sandal is offered in adult and children's sizing, which makes it the first time that the premium, collaboration-conscious Birkenstock 1774 line has designed anything for kids.
Three muted suede colorways of the Los Feliz release on Fear of God's website and the Birkenstock 1774 web store January 25 priced at $445 apiece, followed by an international release on January 27.
The wool felt iteration of Fear of God and Birkenstock's Los Feliz sandal follows on February 22 and an international drop on February 24. The kids sizes of each style release at the same time.
This is the first big Birkenstock (and Fear of God) moment of 2023 but expect much more, especially given the big year that Birkenstock just came off of.
