The French luxury house, Dior, has teamed up with Germany's comfy footwear brand, Birkenstock, for a collaborative footwear collection, Dior x Birkenstock. In January 2022, Kim Jones from Dior had presented the first teaser of their collaboration with Birkenstock at their Men's Fall Winter 2022-23 runway show.
The Dior Fall Winter 22-23 runway show was held at the Place de la Concorde, featuring the runway-exclusive itteration of the iconic Tokio Sandal by Birkenstock, with embellishments of appliqué floral embroideries inspired by Dior Haute Couture upon it. The full Dior x Birkenstock collection will be launched mid-June 2022.
Thibo Denis, the lead of Men's Footwear at the label, offered its fans a closer look at the upcoming Dior x Birkenstock collection via his Instagram handle on March 16, 2022.
More about the Dior x Birkenstock collection
Kim Jones, the legendary designer, celebrated his love for Mr. Dior's legacy with Birkenstock in the upcoming collection. Dior is currently partnering with Birkenstock to create a chic, playful, up-to-the-moment pallet by reiterating Birkenstock's classics.
The collection has taken upon the Milano and The Tokio Mule styles and has spruced them with twists and personal styles of Dior. Tokio mules by the brand were first released in 1987, while Milano sandals were a brand classic in the mid-60's.
Based on the Birkenstock site's information, Dior has added its personal elements onto the Milano style iterations:
"The revisited Milano sandal arrives in Dior gray felt, appointed with a leather ankle strap and co-branded footbeds"
The site also explains Dior's contribution to its classic Tokio Mule style:
"Also reinterpreted is the Tokio mule, a quintessential Birkenstock model whose unrivalled form closely fits the foot’s function and shape. Our version’s exceptional embroidered flowers are done by hand and directly inspired by a Haute Couture dress from the 1957 Dior collection"
The FW 22 23 runway show showcased the reinterpreted versions of Dior's gray felt and suede colorways as a nod to Monsieur Dior's passion for horticulture. The slip-ons and clogs come with industrial buckles and rubber details.
Originally seen in beige, sail, gray and floral colorways, the new look shared by Denis Thibo focuses upon a Tokio silhouette in a "Fossil" colorway dressed in hues of chocolate brown accentuated with smooth suede uppers.
The uppers of the mules are made of suede with a contrasting leather lining in a darker tone along the line of the forefoot. Dior's personal touch can be seen in the branded rollercoaster buckle which features upon the midfoot opening and integrates an adjustable designed strap on the heel for comfort.
The mules feature a Dior branding logo printed upon the footbed. Finishing off the design, one can see the outsole grooving Dior's signature oblique pattern, which merges with Birkenstock's branding across the front.
The collection will launch in mid-June this year on Birkenstock's 1774 website and a few selected retailers.