Birkenstock, the resurgent German sandal maker once beloved by healthcare workers, is set to be valued at up to €9.2bn when it floats on the stock market this month.
Brought to the United States in the 1960s, the sandals were quickly adopted by hippies who took to their no-frills comfort and claimed their utilitarian look as an anti-fashion badge. Actress Frances McDormand padded on stage at the Oscars in February 2019 in a yellow pair – vindicating the idea that footwear does not need to be painful to be glamourous.