Hermès Birkin bags are one of the most sought-after purses in the world and most of us will never own one. There’s a never-ending waiting list for them, you may remember that episode of “Sex and the City” when Samantha tries to name drop so she can avoid the five-year waiting list for a Birkin bag. Even though they’re incredibly expensive – they sell for anywhere from $40-thousand up to as much as $500-thousand – these precious purses are now being cut up and used to create Birkenstock sandals.
MSCHF, the same company that brought us holy water-filled Nikes back in 2019, is the company behind the footwear, called “Birkinstocks.” These sandals are made from genuine Birkin bags that are destroyed, then upcycled into hand-crafted shoes made with an actual Birkenstock cork footbed and rubber sole. But they’re no bargain either. The limited-edition sandals range from $34-thousand to $76-thousand and like the bags they’re made from, they’re in high demand.
MSCHF says the shoes already have a celebrity following, singer Kehlani and rapper Future have both already bought pairs, as well as “multiple billionaire art collectors.” And don’t call these shoes a collab, the company insists they’re not. “We can look to the Birkin bag itself as the new luxury raw material par excellence,” they explain. “Birkinstocks, though are no collaboration; perhaps we might more properly call them a transubstantiation.”
