Celine's 'Furkenstocks' made their debut at the 2012 Paris Fashion Week. The fashion label's Spring/Summer 2013 collection is set to include the fuzzy Birkenstock reinterpretations, emphasizing laid back comfort above all for the French line.
These plush Furkenstocks have become causing quite a stir. Online style critics have taken note of the brands use of flat footwear in place of sky high heels, the latter being the common go-to choice for designers like Christian Dior and Tom Ford. Celine has instead chosen to step outside the mainstream.
Blue, red and black slabs of feathery fabric line these sandals. There is a certain Asian flare about them despite their similarity to the Birkenstock shoe, seen in the thick criss crossed straps.
What's Driving This Trend
- Fuzzy Footwear Fashion
- Furkenstocks are gaining attention as a fashion statement, presenting opportunities for luxury brands to experiment with unconventional yet stylish footwear designs.
- Comfort Chic
- The trend towards comfortable fashion such as Birkenstock reinterpretations that prioritize comfort over traditional high heels is gaining momentum, creating opportunities for innovative brands to design not just comfortable but stylish footwear.
- Opposites Attract
- Opposing elements such as fur and flat sandals are being combined to create fashion-forward footwear options, presenting opportunities for designers to experiment with contrasting materials and textures.
Who This Affects Most
- Fashion
- Luxury fashion brands can experiment with unconventional Birkenstock reinterpretations to showcase their innovative and creative designs.
- Footwear
- The trend towards comfortable yet stylish footwear such as Birkenstock reinterpretations is a disruptive innovation opportunity for the footwear industry to evolve beyond traditional high heels.
- Design
- Designers have a disruptive innovation opportunity to experiment with opposing elements such as fur and flat sandals to create unique and fashion-forward footwear designs.
