The remarkable history of a shoemaking dynasty, which dates back to 1774.


The remarkable story of a shoemaking dynasty that goes back to 1774 in the Hessian province, leads via an orthopaedic shoemaker's workshop in Frankfurt to the manufacture of the brand core, the footbed, and finally to the industrial production of a "German export hit" for millions of brand lovers around the globe. This book not only sheds light on the zeitgeist phenomenon that is BIRKENSTOCK but also provides an insight into the entrepreneurial energy behind the brand, which ultimately catapulted it into the league of global lifestyle brands.


From a scientific perspective, the authors trace BIRKENSTOCK’s arrival in key sales markets and describe the cultural exchange that took place there. Special topics interspersed through the book round off the understanding of the industrial and contemporary historical context. This book is a profound, varied, and knowledgeable account of 250 years of history; coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the shoemaking tradition, it opens up a new perspective on a brand whose perception has often been characterized by clichés, prejudice, and misconceptions.