BIRKENSTOCK - The Imprints of Time
Insight
People know the product, but only part of its story.
For 250 years, BIRKENSTOCK has reflected the tenacious, sometimes radical, attitudes of the Birkenstock family members who’ve shaped the brand we know today from orthopaedic innovator to avant-garde fashion icon. Yet, no matter how many zeitgeist-defining products they’ve crafted or counter-cultural stories they’ve been part of, most people still only know BIRKENSTOCK’s as comfortable, funny-looking sandals.
Idea
Welcome to the saga of BIRKENSTOCK.
Inspired by a brand history defined by its innovations, 250 years of family, product and cultural stories have been painstakingly curated and thoughtfully categorised into an immersive visual archive.
All the highs, lows, and surprises are seamlessly brought together in a bold, responsive experience that reflects the BIRKENSTOCK legacy.
Nearly a thousand pieces of visual history across eras, product types, fashion trends and locations have been lifted and tagged from the last 250 years of BIRKENSTOCK. With every filter you apply or remove, the brand’s world repopulates to tell a new, iconic story.
This isn’t about purely consuming the brand’s history but exploring it. Dive into each photograph to discover its origins, examine its details, and uncover related stories.
As with any good brand story, time defines it. From 1774 to 2024, pinnacle moments from BIRKENSTOCK’s history are chronologically visualised through a scrolling timeline.
From the first church documents signed by Johannes Birkenstock to a more recent Barbie Movie collaboration, each step plays a pivotal role in defining the brand’s journey.
As with any good brand story, time defines it. From 1774 to 2024, pinnacle moments from BIRKENSTOCK’s history are chronologically visualised through a scrolling timeline.
From the first church documents signed by Johannes Birkenstock to a more recent Barbie Movie collaboration, each step plays a pivotal role in defining the brand’s journey.
Six chapters from the BIRKENSTOCK saga have examined the brand’s humble origins, orthopaedic innovations and unwavering design philosophy to bring even more depth to the visual archive. Each chapter has been crafted alongside brand historians and highlights influential moments in BIRKENSTOCK’s legacy that have had a consequential impact on the fashion world and beyond.
Impact
Leaving an indelible print on the world.
Since taking its first step 250 years ago, BIRKENSTOCK has become a mainstay for just about everything and everyone, from soldiers to doctors, politicians to activists, actors to the avant-garde. By creating a product that helps the world walk as nature intended, they’ve carved out a legacy that feels like no other — celebrating the people, products and ideas that made it all possible.
AKQA is a design and innovation company that employs over 6,500 professionals across 20 countries. Named Digital Agency Global Network of the Year in Campaign’s 2023 Global Agency of the Year Awards, AKQA was also awarded the Cannes Lions Grand Prix for Digital Craft in 2023, and the Grand Prix for Design in 2021. In 2023, AKQA was recognised as a winner in Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Awards. AKQA also won Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas in 2021, and 2022 and led Gartner’s research into global marketing agencies in 2021.
