To commemorate the 60th anniversary of their flagship Zürich sandal, Birkenstock will release a limited-edition anniversary collection featuring four archive-inspired versions of the shoe.
For everyone's knowledge, Karl Birkenstock launched the design in 1964 as his second sandal with a built-in footbed. At first, it was called the "Closed Model" because of its wide upper part, exposed natural composition, and double buckles. It was later renamed Zürich due to its Brutalist design. Upon release, the design was recognized for its functionality and foot health benefits, and has since achieved global popularity.
Now, the brand's vintage-inspired anniversary capsule combines elements of the original design with the label's modern styles in four colors: “Dark Red,” “Dark Green,” “Light Blue,” and “Light Green .” The design features vintage buckles and soles similar to those of the 1964 model, while premium leather and soft suede uppers give the silhouette a modern, luxurious lift. Meanwhile, the anatomically shaped cork-latex footbed pays tribute to the brand's hundreds of years of shoemaking legacy.
This year, Birkenstock has also launched three new versions of the Zürich sandal: the Zürich Tech, which prioritizes utilitarian design, and the Zürich Embossed and Zürich Suede, both of which use high-quality soft leather.
Birkenstock's Zürich anniversary collection will be available starting August 29 on the brand's webstore. Check out the archive-inspired design in the gallery above.
