Even the most luxe of fashion houses haven’t escaped the mulement. Dior’s recent Fall/Winter 2022 show — in Kim Jones’ typical collaborative fashion — revealed the label had partnered with Birkenstock to create the most opulent slippers, complete with floral embroidery and Dior logos. Consider these couture clogs.
In case you’ve missed it, mules have been on the rise for the past few years, although the pandemic significantly bolstered the popularity of the comfortable, slip-on shoes. Birkenstock in particular has been embraced by the high-fashion community, amassing collaborations with Proenza Schouler, Jil Sander, and Rick Owens. Versatile enough for running a quick errand, walking around the neighborhood, and now, wearing down the runway, mules are the ultimate chill shoe — and we can assume those able to afford the Dior version are doing more chilling than the rest of us.
Birks get bougie —
Following insatiable demand for Birkenstock’s Boston clog, Dior’s footwear designer Thibo Denis chose to reimagine the Tokio, a similar slingback which features a buckled strap. Added rubber mudguards, multicolored floral embroidery, and wool and suede panels have transformed the slipper into something couture-worthy — or at the very least, great house shoes for the rich. A Dior monogram-embossed sole finishes off the high-fashion style, which comes in gray, taupe, and beige suede as well as brown lambskin iterations.
For those looking to bare a little more toe, Dior has also redesigned Birkenstock’s Milano sandal, a two-strap slip-on also boasting an ankle strap. Reinforced with a leather slingback and gray wool felt, the summer shoe is now appropriate for more transitional seasons like spring and fall, encouraging buyers to invest in equally extravagant Dior socks for styling.
Each Birkenstock features co-branded footbeds which, like many of the German brand’s models, encourages flexing and strength for your foot. Black buckles, designed by Matthew Williams, have also been applied to each shoe’s cross-foot strap, flaunting Dior branding.
Coming later this year —
Dior’s collaborative Birkenstocks are slated to release later this year, although no exact date (or more importantly, pricing) has been announced. Yet with the mulement only growing in popularity — seemingly spiking in correlation with rising COVID-19 cases — expect the luxe slippers and sandals to go quickly once they’re available. After all, who doesn’t love a subtle Dior flex?
