Birkenstock's Denim Sandals Are Pure, Handstitched Japanese Craft
One of Birkenstock’s most exciting collaborations this year is with a creative you’ve likely never heard of: Jesse Leyva.
Having cut his teeth working at Nike for 15 years, rising to become senior global creative director of Nike’s ACG and SB divisions, Birkenstock recently tapped Leyva to masterfully reimagine its iconic line of sandals. And he’s quietly fulfilling that brief to a tee.
Earlier this month, Leyva and Birkenstock dropped a range of luxurious quilted mules, an initial peek at the ingenious creations the two have been cooking up. Now, they’re raising the stakes with upcycled denim sandals.
Honoring the art of Boro, a centuries-old Japanese technique of repairing and reworking fabrics through sashiko stitching and patchworking, Leyva traveled directly to Japan for this collaboration (because if you’re going to make a Boro-inspired collection, you’re best going directly to the source).
Handpicking 75 Boro blankets from collectors at flea markets across the East-Asian island, these already upcycled blankets have been further upcycled by the designer.
The Boro blankets, decorated through years of wear, layers of hand-stitched detailing, and differing indigo-dyed fabric patchworked together, are mixed and matched across Birkenstock’s Boston model (appearing on the strap of the brown suede mule) as well as its Arizona and Zurich sandals which are entirely covered in the detailed Boro material.
While others have tried their hand at denim Boro sneakers, few have honored this Japanese tradition so skillfully, utilizing materials made by masters of the craft.
Naturally, the handiwork that went into these artisanal sandals does mean an elevated price point; the three shoes are on Birkenstock’s UK website retailing between £270 and £310. As yet, they haven't appeared on the Birkenstock US website.
Similar to their first collaboration, Leyva and Birkenstock’s Boro collection has arrived with little fanfare, honored only by a single Instagram post on the German footwear label’s Instagram page.
While I’m sure there's a strategy behind Birkenstock’s lowkey marketing, I can’t help but think the craftsmanship behind these sandals deserves more attention.
