Birkenstock: from a German village to a blockbuster about Barbie

On Wednesday, the footwear brand will take another step into the big leagues with an IPO in New York, reportedly valuing the company at $8.6 billion.

Here are five things to know about Birkenstock:

The company dates back to 1774, when Johann Adam Birkenstock worked as a shoemaker in Langen-Bergheim, a small community in western Germany.

In 1896, Conrad Birkenstock began working in orthopedic footwear, developing comfortable, contoured insoles designed to cushion the feet.

Sandals gained international fame when they arrived in the United States in the 1960s, where they were adopted by hippies who thought their no-frills look was anti-fashion.

But they really stopped being associated with socks-and-sandals-wearing Germans and became a fashion must-have in the 1990s, when supermodel Kate Moss wore them for a fashion shoot.

The company remained in the hands of the founding family until 2021, when the Birkenstock brothers sold a majority stake.

It was bought by the LVMH-linked joint-stock company L Catterton and the family holding fund of French billionaire Bernard Arnault Financiere Agache for about four billion euros.

The Birkenstock brothers retained a minority stake.

Birkenstock’s most famous sandal is the Arizona, which features two wide straps with buckles and a signature cork and latex sole.

Introduced in 1973, they have become a symbol of US counterculture, and although they are available in different colors and materials, the basic design of the shoe has not changed.

The single-strap Madrid sandal, introduced a decade before the Arizona, helped lay the foundation for the company’s later successes and was originally known as the “gymnastic sandal” because it exercised the muscles of the wearer’s feet and legs while walking.

Other styles include the Gizeh strappy sandal, which takes its name from the Egyptian city, a nod to the sandal’s centuries-old history.

There are many variations of the original styles, such as platform sandals and waterproof versions, and Birkenstock makes other shoes, from clogs to sneakers.

While the company primarily focuses on footwear, it also makes other products, including high-quality beds and skin care products.

The shoes are not cheap, however, with prices for the most sophisticated models reaching €230 ($247).

While other companies have moved production to places where labor is typically cheaper, such as Asia, Birkenstock says 95 percent of its products are assembled in Germany.

The company, headquartered in the picturesque city of Linz am Rhein in western Germany, has several production sites in the country and approximately 6,200 employees worldwide.

Its new plant near Pasewalk, in the eastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, began production in September.

Margot Robbie was the latest celebrity to be seen wearing trendy Birkenstocks. A host of Hollywood and pop stars have worn the sandals in recent years, often choosing Arizona, from singers Katy Perry and Britney Spears to actress Katie Holmes.

Birkenstock has also partnered with fashion brands including Paco Rabanne, Valentino and Celine, who have created their own versions.

Birkenstock says protecting natural resources is at the heart of its products. The company uses sustainably sourced materials such as cork, natural latex, jute and leather.

It also offers vegan sandals made entirely from plant-based and synthetic materials.

Cork, the main material of Birkenstock’s insoles, is also central to the company’s cosmetics. Cork oak extract, which has anti-aging properties, is the main ingredient in Birkenstock skin care products.

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