What footwear you pack for travel can make or break a trip. While your suitcase can fit dozens of items of clothing, shoes are a little more space-consuming, so finding all-rounders, ones that take you from the flight to city walks, beach strolls, elegant lunches, dinners, and al fresco drinks, is of the utmost importance. One brand manages to tread the line between ergonomic design, comfort, and utmost style, delivering the most perfect range of travel shoes – Birkenstock. 

Birkenstock: The ultimate travel shoe

Most people might be familiar with BIRKENSTOCK — the German heritage brand dating back to 1774. Long known as the master of comfort, the brand has upped its game in recent years, bringing style to the forefront, delivering killer new style after style and capturing the zeitgeist with its shades and cuts. BIRKENSTOCK is now worn by celebrities and trendsetters the world over, delivering style and comfort in equal measure – a key factor when picking those all-important travelling shoes. What makes BIRKENSTOCK so comfortable is its timeless design – a design guided by the simple yet profound insight that humans are designed to walk barefoot on natural, yielding ground, a  concept referred to as ‘Naturgewolltes Gehen.’

The history

German brand BIRKENSTOCK was founded in 1774, deeply rooted in studies of the biomechanics of the human foot and the family tradition of shoemaking. The brand pioneered the launch of the ergonomic footbed, a game-changing design shaped by the principle of walking as intended in nature. The legendary BIRKENSTOCK footbed represents the best alternative to walking barefoot, encouraging proper foot health by evenly distributing weight and reducing pressure points and friction. Its function-first approach is universally relevant; all humans — anywhere and everywhere — deserve to walk in comfort without forgoing aesthetics. 2024 marked a monumental anniversary for the brand, showcasing just how innovative and beloved its footwear is. The brand celebrated 250 years of shoemaking.  

The perfect travel shoes

As well as being comfortable, designed to smelly blend with the contours of your feet and emulate the feeling of walking in nature, BIRKENSTOCK’s shoes are incurably chic – with a huge range of styles in recent years going against the traditional BIRKENSTOCK mould. On top of the traditional and beloved styles, the buckled Arizona and Madrid and thonged Gizeh styles, the rand now offers closed-toe Boston, the perfect companion to cooler climes and long-haul flights, a nubuck leather platform wedge for glamorous lunches and dinners, and new silhouettes like St. Barths, a chic trans-seasonal piece for women on the go. Perfect for summer, new shades include Fondant Pink, Elemental Blue, Surf Green, and a sleek high-shine patent take on its classic designs. For understated chic, the new sporty Theda is crafted from soft piumato leather, combining high fashion and comfort, in slick black or Ecru.

The High Shine range joins a host of new styles as part of BIRKENSTOCK’s SS24 collection, which also features timeless styles reimagined in bright, fresh and vivid seasonal hues perfect for the summer months. The collection features new shades, including Fondant Pink, Elemental Blue, Surf Green, and new silhouettes like St. Barths, a chic trans-seasonal piece for women on the go, big-buckle Catalina and Papillio – a new nubuck leather platform wedge bringing BIRKENSTOCK into a new era of footwear. Above all, BIRKENSTOCK footwear is the ideal mix between form and function and a must-pack companion for all types of holidays- from city breaks to beach escapes and everything in between – whether you’re strolling through nature, a piazza, enjoying a full day of sightseeing or a stroll down or beach promenade. BIRKENSTOCK will see you through all your travels and beyond, making their styles the must-get travel shoes for all globetrotters this season. 

Shop BIRKENSTOCK styles at birkenstock.com/ae; @birkenstockme

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