Anniversary Collection

 

THREE DESIGN ICONS — ONE FOOTBED

BIRKENSTOCK is celebrating the anniversaries of three of its most successful models with a limited collection.

The anniversary capsule collection featuring the MADRID, ARIZONA, and GIZEH will be available exclusively at birkenstock.com.

 

BIRKENSTOCK CAPSULE COLLECTION

BIRKENSTOCK will be celebrating several milestone anniversaries in the 2023

summer season and will be launching a limited capsule collection as a homage to

three of its design icons. With their distinctively linear and functional designs and

the unique BIRKENSTOCK footbed, the MADRID, ARIZONA, and GIZEH are not only

worn by millions of people around the world, “it” pieces for the creative and fashion

industry, a symbol of nonconformist subculture, and faithful friends to a variety of

specialized professions – their distinctive outlines have also become a brand’s

hallmark and symbols of a “natural gait.” To mark the 60th, 50th, and 40th

anniversaries of the MADRID, ARIZONA, and GIZEH respectively,

BIRKENSTOCK is bringing back the original models as limited editions.

THE BIRKENSTOCK FOOTBED: FORMULA FOR AN INIMITABLE PRODUCT EXPERIENCE

The three models celebrating anniversaries, the MADRID, ARIZONA, and GIZEH,

have one thing in common, namely the centerpiece of the BIRKENSTOCK product

philosophy – the original footbed. Its anatomical shape is the result of orthopedic

experience passed down from one generation of the family to the next and Karl

Birkenstock’s uncompromising mission to make a natural gait possible

for everyone around the world. The BIRKENSTOCK footbed is inspired by a natural

footprint in the sand and therefore simulates walking on a soft, yielding surface.

These days, the MADRID, ARIZONA, and GIZEH stand for a clear product philosophy,

an unabated spirit of innovation, and the global footwear brand’s uncompromising

function, design, and quality standards. These unmistakable classics inspire fans,

celebrities, and designers in equal measure and are at home all over the world.

Oliver Reichert, CEO of BIRKENSTOCK: “BIRKENSTOCK wrote design history with

the MADRID, ARIZONA, and GIZEH, and revolutionized the development of footfriendly

footwear. The successful symbiosis of function and design not only defines

these three anniversary pieces, but also determines every step we take. Deeply

rooted in orthopedics, BIRKENSTOCK stands for sophisticated functionality, a

commitment to craftsmanship, uncompromising quality, and the promise of an

inimitable product experience.”

MADRID: THE MOTHER OF ALL FOOTBED SANDALS

The first BIRKENSTOCK sandals as we recognize them today were developed by the visionary Karl Birkenstock.

Drawing inspiration from his father Konrad Birkenstock’s work on the footbed, the orthopedic shoemaker focused in the 1960s on

developing the first BIRKENSTOCK shoe that would give people a “natural gait.” Together, the father and son laid the foundations for the MADRID in 1963

with their avant-garde “deep-footbed sandal,” as was its working title. Inspired by the unembellished, functional aesthetic of brutalist architecture

and characterized by clear lines and visible natural materials, the shoe drew on design language which was unconventional at the time.

The aesthetic of the minimalist single-strap sandal, which was designed as a unisex model and was therefore ahead of its time, serves as the

basis of the unmistakable BIRKENSTOCK style to this day.

By the time the designers at the major fashion houses turned their attention to the idea of unisex clothing in the late 1960s,

BIRKENSTOCK was already on a gender- and age-neutral course for success. The MADRID became a timeless icon.

What was initially classified in professional circles as a vexing gymnastics sandal democratized the world of shoes and,

after six decades in an essentially unchanged design, has become an integral part of people’s day-to-day lives.

THE ORIGINAL ICON

Celebrate 60 years of the sandal that start it all.

 

ARIZONA: EVERYBODY’S FAVORITE

Ten years later in 1973, the ARIZONA first saw the light of day ahead of the 200th heritage anniversary of the Birkenstock family. Initially sold exclusively in specialist stores due to its unique footbed attributes, the ARIZONA soon became a symbol of the 1970s counterculture in the USA – and also became a bestseller.

The ARIZONA stands for health and naturalness – and breaks with societal norms. Subcultures and innovators discovered the ARIZONA. The sandals made in Germany were worn by musicians in Woodstock and Silicon Valley . The ARIZONA also gave the brand its first points of contact with the world of fashion, with the sandal making its first appearance on the runway in New York in 1993 – the beginnings of a fascination that continues unabated to this day and which BIRKENSTOCK offers creative scope again and again in the form of various design collaborations.

OUR CLASSIC MODEL

Popular two-strap sandal: the ARIZONA has been a hit for decades,

giving it cult status. It boasts timeless design and is always a stylish choice.

 

GIZEH: RENDEZVOUS WITH THE WORLD OF FASHION

In 1983, BIRKENSTOCK moved into new territory. With the GIZEH, Karl Birkenstock remained true to his clear and bold aesthetic while taking inspiration from one of the oldest shoes in history, developing the first thong sandal with an ergonomically shaped toe bar. Following more than three years of development, BIRKENSTOCK eventually launched the GIZEH in five colors including, for the first time in the company’s history, silver and gold – a confident step which combined its fashion and health expectations.

STYLISH ALL-ROUNDER

Our elegant GIZEH thong classic combines optimum grip with a minimalist, fashionable design.

 

MADRID, released in 1963

(1) BIRKENSTOCK logo

1774

An official document mentioning Johann

Birkenstock, a German shoemaker

|

|

|

|

|

1902

The first flexible insole is invented by Konrad

Birkenstock an innovation supporting foot health

(2) First BIRKENSTOCK footbed sandal

1913

The original flexible insole is officially named ‘footbed’

|

|

|

|

|

1963

The release of the original BIRKENSTOCK footbed

sandal. Official market introduction at the GDS

shoe trade fair in Düsseldorf

|

|

1968

The original BIRKENSTOCK footbed sandal enters

the USA

(3) Shoe Trade Fair, 1972

|

|

1979

The original BIRKENSTOCK footbed sandal is

named MADRID in Germany

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

2003

International Top Model Heidi Klum designs

first iconic shoe collection in collaboration

with BIRKENSTOCK

2008

Bon Jovi drummer Tico Torres designs

‘Rockstar Baby Collection’ for BIRKENSTOCK

(5) BIRKENSTOCK x Rick Owens

|

|

|

2018

BIRKENSTOCK Å~ Rick Owens. The first official

design collaboration marks the birth of 1774,

Birkenstocks creative studio

|

|

|

|

|

|

2022

Sarah Jessica wears MADRID as Carrie Bradshaw

in ‘And Just Like That’ HBO series

Copyright © 2025 Ikon Thailand Official Distributor, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
My Wish Lists
Last Added Items
You have no items in your wish list.