Birkenstock could, ostensibly, keep turning out its classics without ever innovating and still be top of the clog class. And, yet, the historic German shoemaker is on a real hustler grindset, remixing some of its best shoes into new-school masterpieces.
The Birkenstock Reykjavik clog is indicative of Birk's recent approach, which has ranged from some wild hybrid sandals to honest-to-god laced Birkenstock shoes.
In a nutshell, Birkenstock took the Birkenstock clog, added the London's heel, and surrounded the shoe with a rubber protector from the Professional footwear line typically worn by folks on their feet all day, like nurses, doctors, and chefs.
The end result is a radically, deliciously chunky shoe with all of the Boston's ease and ten times the streetwear flair.
Nothing against the Boston, of course, which is a timeless classic. But if you're going to innovate, might as well go all the way.
Note that the Reykjavik's lightweight Professional-inspired rubber shell also grants additional sturdiness and weather resistance to the sole, which is typically more easily resoleable but heavier.
The new shoe, available on Birkenstock's website in a variety of handsome nubuck leather colorways for $210 apiece, speaks to where Birkenstock currently sits in the pantheon of footwear companies.
In an era where even streetwear stalwarts like Stüssy and KITH are transforming Birkenstock's classic shoes into semi-statement shapes as resellable as any Jordan or adidas sneaker, it behooves Birkenstock to constantly innovate.
But when Birkenstock does take steps to create new clogs, it doesn't stray far from its comfort zone. Which is good, by the way (and quite comfortable).
The Reykjavik isn't even the craziest Birk in recent memory — for my money, I would posit that Dior's Tokio clog takes the cake — but it is pretty out there in terms of Birkenstock design cues, what with all the stuff happening on the sole.
And yet, because Birkenstock holds to its own inimitable design language, even its wildest new shoes still read as consistent within the brand's ethos.
That's that Birkenstock charm.
