Birkinstock Shoes

Birkinstock is MSCHF Drop #39 — a limited run of Birkenstock Arizona-style sandals made from destroyed Hermès Birkin bags. Launched on February 8, 2021, the project fused the ultra-luxury Birkin with the casual Birkenstock to create a deliberate juxtaposition questioning how society attributes value to objects. MSCHF purchased four authentic Birkin bags from resale sites for approximately $122,500, featuring exotic leathers including Porosus Crocodile in burgundy and white, Taurillon Clemence in black, and Ostrich in black. Only around 10 pairs were produced, priced between $34,000 and $76,000 depending on leather type and sandal size.

Before cutting the authentic bags, MSCHF practiced the manufacturing process on counterfeit Birkins. Two leather workshops in Brooklyn refused to participate, scandalized by the idea of destroying a Birkin. Each pair featured custom-made vermeil buckles, "Birkinstock" branding in the Birkenstock font, the Hermès horse and carriage motif stamped on the side, and packaging in Hermès's signature orange box with a scarf-like dust bag. MSCHF described the project as a "transubstantiation" rather than a collaboration, deliberately not seeking approval from either Hermès or Birkenstock.

The birkinstock.shoes website was built with Vue and Nuxt, serving as the exclusive platform for viewing and ordering the sandals. The site presented the product and handled the made-to-order request system for what the New York Times called "the most exclusive sandal ever made."

All pairs sold out, with three selling before the official launch. Celebrity buyers included rapper Future, singer Kehlani, and an unnamed art collector. Kylie Jenner publicly displayed her black Taurillon Clemence pair on Instagram on February 16, 2021. The project generated massive global press coverage from CNN, the New York Times, Hypebeast, Esquire, and dozens of other publications. MSCHF is represented by Perrotin Gallery, where the Birkinstocks were featured in an exhibition.