Object of the Week
How the $48,000 “Birkinstock” Became the Ultimate Consumer Culture Troll
The story of a hippie sandal, a six-figure handbag, private equity, and a very mischievous art collective
Object of the Week is a new column exploring the objects a culture obsesses over and what that reveals about us.
Birkenstocks, “fashion’s original ugly shoe,” as the Business of Fashion put it the other day, are having a moment. A pretty weird moment, actually, that has somehow caused the brand to stumble into the realm of high luxury.
Earlier this week, Bloomberg reported that the maker of the hippie-dippie casual-culture icon was in talks to be acquired by L Catterton, a private equity firm backed by lux mega-business LVMH. The talks value Birkenstock in the neighborhood of $5 billion.
But the real news came the next day when Birkenstock — completely against its will — became entangled in the most amusing and high-profile consumer culture art prank of the year so far: the debut of the limited-edition “Birkinstock.” This is a sandal with a traditional Birkenstock silhouette, but made out of the remnants of willfully destroyed super-expensive Hermès Birkin bags. Perhaps you heard that rapper Future obtained a pair…
