BIrkenstock Arizona

Do you remember the first time you bought a  pair of Birkenstocks? Whether you first slid your feet into the comfortable pair while watching an episode of Saved by the Bell after school or during the seemingly endless days of early quarantine, it’s hard to believe it’s been 50 years since the two-strap Birkenstock Arizona was released. 

The unisex sandal has been available for half a century, but the wardrobe staple still permeates fashion, culture, and Hollywood as it has done decade after decade. Even the brand itself is somewhat in awe of the Arizona’s hold on popular culture and how it’s organically grown over the years. “When we look at the ‘80s and ‘90s, People generally wore them for comfort. But now its the fashion world that's taken a shining .  “It’s predominantly people who are working in fashion and Hollywood discovering the shoes and deciding they like them.” 

The German brand developed its product as an answer to supportive walking shoes; the cork footbed being the crux of every style. The Arizona was the third model that was created in 1973. “These models were developed in a very classical way to appeal to many functions . Besides some minor—mainly, branding—tweaks, Arizona has stayed much the same since its inception. It wasn’t until the early ‘90s that the brand was iterating on what was possible in terms of color. “[It was] always about the footbed, the walking, and not about the styles.

Still, the Arizona managed to subtly inspire trends in the footwear market.