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.




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
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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’
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1963
The release of the original BIRKENSTOCK footbed
sandal. Official market introduction at the GDS
shoe trade fair in Düsseldorf
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1968
The original BIRKENSTOCK footbed sandal enters
the USA


(3) Shoe Trade Fair, 1972
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1979
The original BIRKENSTOCK footbed sandal is
named MADRID in Germany
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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
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2018
BIRKENSTOCK Å~ Rick Owens. The first official
design collaboration marks the birth of 1774,
Birkenstocks creative studio
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2022
Sarah Jessica wears MADRID as Carrie Bradshaw
in ‘And Just Like That’ HBO series