Why is the Birkenstocks Arizona SO Popular? (part 1)
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- čas přidán 28. 06. 2022
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We're about to discover how exactly Birkenstocks managed to create a shoe style so synonymous with its brand name and so popular amongst city-dwellers and outdoor-enthusiasts alike.
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Script: Holly Maley
Editor: Kirsten Stanley
Project Manager: Lurana McClure Rodríguez
Host: Levi Hildebrand
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Wait, wait, wait... repairable foot wear? In 2022??? I've always found Birkenstocks fugly, but I may have to look into them...
What’s the name of the opening song?
@@ropro9817 czcams.com/video/wgliQWl00wI/video.html
No offense man but I would never use such abominations. Only a redneck without taste could buy those. These and Crocs. Horrid.
I pay youtube so I dont have to watch adverts!
As a cobbler, we rely alot on these. People almost entirely rely on unrepairable shoes so these help shops alot
I’m curious, as a cobbler, do you create shoes or just repair them or even custom existing ones?
I’m looking for someone that actually MAKES them
Seen your movie with adam sandler so cool you can turn into people with your magic machine
“A lot” is two words.
What are your 10 favorite brand and model shoes for people to buy, where and love which are repairable and can keep cobblers in business?
I really respect Birkenstock for not using Amazon and for keeping their production in Germany where they can maintain their standards and buck the trend of making their money off of very low paid workers abroad.
I hope they never give in!
check out how badly they treat their employees.
@@couchsofa2977 exactly, as a German familiar with their history these international comment sections are always rough to read - Birkenstock is far, far away from a good company.
I just bought my black pair from amazon, lmao
@@trevorsebastian1341 some people buy from companies that pay fair, others do not. many selfish people or fools buy from Amazon.
I worked in Amazon returns and Birkenstocks were one of the most returned shoes I received.
I'm a Crocs guy but you've seriously got me considering a pair of birks for more formal gatherings.
For more formal gatherings 🤣🤣🤣
@@youngwolflucian 🤣
@ Sam Shepherd Just buy a pair of black Crocs. Black is always more formal😂😂😂
I used to wear Crocs all the time. Then switched to the EVA version of the Arizona. Now I only wear Crocs when I need protection over my toes.
"more formal" 😂😂
Birkenstocks are a classic in Denmark, when I moved here, about three years ago I was flabbergasted at how popular they are. I used to strongly dislike them but over time I started to worm up to them and now I ordered some for myself. My friends and family love them and always say that it's comfortable, flexible and long lasting. I ended up buying some and I am waiting for them to be shipped right now, can't wait to start wearing them this summer.
it is probably classic everywhere in Europe, it looks like standard random slippers you wear at home or at school
So… did you fall in love with them?
Crocs person here, but I got my first two pairs of Birkenstocks recently and I cannot tell you enough how much I love them. I got the soft footbed suede leather and the Milano oiled leather. They are awesome and so very well made! Your video is amazingly informative. Thank you!! 😊
I recently bought a pair of Arizonas and I gotta say, I am extremely happy with this purchase. I think they make a lot of my summer outfits look better, and I like the idea of investing in an item that will shape to me overtime and not break within a few weeks.
I thought Birkenstocks were ugly and told myself I’d never own a pair. It wasn’t until a few years ago when I saw the Arizona big buckle style sandals that I decided to give them a try. Now I have several pairs. 😅 My absolute favorite are the soft foot bed Arizonas in suede. There is no break-in time!
the soft footbeds are synthetic right?
I've never had to" break in"a pair in my 30 years of wearing 5 or 6 pairs.
theyre still a little bit ugly ngl but comfort trumps style in this case i guess
I have gizeh,Mayari and Madrid and its very comfy.
@@user-hd8ej8yx9p late reply lol, however just got a pair of softbed bostons in suede today and I can say they do have a slight break in time but from wat I can research and upon feel on foot, the footbed does not appear synthetic, instead they have a small layer of foam/eva or something along the lines under the traditional leather footbed which makes it feel a bbit softer right away instead of having to immediately mold the cork. Materials seem the same as standard bostons aside from that.
I've had mine for over 15 years, I use them - as it is custom in Germany - as house shoes. I wear otherwise barefoot shoes, but coming home and wearing my Birkenstocks is like walking on a cloud!! So relaxing...
I’ve got about 35 years wearing Arizona birks. Never had any pain. Only about 3 days from purchase to completely break them in (no pain, just kinda stiff to perfectly molded to my feet). Also, never repaired any of them. Each pair last 4 to 8 years. Maybe I’ll look into repairing current ones, but getting a new pristine pair is such a treat!
Birkenstocks also makes clogs for working in a kitchen or hospital. When I was a cook I loved my Birkenstock clogs. I think they were made out of some sort of waterproof polymer that was super tough and had a slip resistant tread. But I could take the insoles out and run them through the dishwasher at home to get them clean again after a 16 HR shift
you could run them through the dishwasher!!!!!!! that's amazing!!!!
Damn 16 hour shifts !!
I love my Birkenstock ! I am 77 years old , and feel that I walk better and more sure than with other shoes, and they are eternal !! Have them for several years and they look like new!
Thank’s Birkenstock!!
You are the best for my feet and my body❤❤❤
I wore Birkenstocks for 15 hours during a Disneyland trip. At the end, I was the only one still walking normal compared to others in my family. Love them!
I was gifted this not knowing they were so popular. I had someone point them out on social media asking me if they were “Birks” and was left astonished at how they are so well known. In love with them. They are sooooo comfortable! More then my shoes I swear.
I’ve been wearing Birkenstocks for over thirty years, and I still wear my Bostons to work and my Zurichs for weekends. So, to say I’m a loyal customer is an understatement!
I love these analysis videos Levi and Team. Great work everyone.
So glad you enjoy them, thanks!!
Finally bought my first pair of Arizonas. I already love them and can’t wait to have them forever
I had the same pair of Birkenstock clogs for OVER A DECADE and only got rid of them because my feet no longer fit in them after I had my son. The shoes went to a friend of mine though so I know they are still getting worn.
When I became pregnant with my son I lived in my Birkenstock sandals that I got towards the middle of my pregnancy. They are still my favorite shoes
Well, if they're good enough for Jason Momoa, they're good enough for me! I love my Birkenstock Arizona's, and I get very attached to them. They last forever and are so worth the cost. I didn't know you could get them repaired, so now I'm looking forward to keeping my current pair for the rest of my life.
I have a lot of different pairs. My advice to avoid the foot torture is to wear them throughout the day for short periods of time or wear them with thick socks around the house at first- though the oils of your skin will definitely help to soften them up.
My feet are super weird, like so insanely wide that I'd have to buy 6 sizes up to have a shoe wide enough for my feet. My Birkenstocks took a whole year to break in, using these same techniques 🙄 but luckily 4 years later they're my favorite shoes
Nah I use one for a month...my feet hurt, my feet is molding into the shoe instead of the shoe into the feet....I think these are expensive due to their quality material and durability, but they are NOT comfortable shoes, you gotta use them a lot to get used to them, and that for me, is a no no.😊
these and my dr martens are the most expensive shoes i own but i love them SO MUCH. definitely worth it for me. before i got my birkenstocks i would buy a new pair of sandals like every two years because they'd break or i felt like the style didn't suit me anymore, but i haven't even thought of any other shoes for the summer now that i have them. i have the arizona style in mocha. the blisters in the breaking in period were tough though. oddly enough i didn't have that problem with my dr martens
whats you secret...lol...my docs were a big footache..lol
Birkenstock being bought by LVMH could likely be terrible for upholding the brands current ethics, quality, etc. The teardown of their boots was hugely disappointing, but hopefully they don't go down that road with their sandals
If there’s one thing lvmh is caring abt it’s quality.
@@datmesay lol they dont nowadays after getting away with producing low quality trendy items. Believe me gucci bag now vs 2013 ish have less quality than newer ones
That's possible however lvmh seems to keep production mostly the same when they buy a company, for example Tag Heuer watches are still made in Switzerland, Gucci is still made in Italy, etc. However the quality on those items after lvmh bought them is debatable
@@jojoenathan there must be more room for nuance. Louis Vuitton still makes world class canvas leather goods and Moët still tastes like pure heaven. Gucci is affiliated with the Kering group, who are a pedophile empire and the direct competitor to lvmh. Gucci quality is going down because the Kering group is fucking trash elitist predator clothing.
My dad wore Birks almost exclusively, and so I also started wearing them as a teenager (in the early nineties). I just got a new pair after years of not owning a pair, and got a pair for my 13 year old daughter, who loves them! A fun family tradition, I suppose.
The first pair of Birkenstocks that I bought was when I was in Germany in 1985. Crazy note, I got them in a pharmacy! I think I paid about $20 for them.
First! So happy i stumbled across your channel last month, every video is top tier!
Welcome aboard, happy to have you here!!!
One thing that was mentioned is the glue that holds all the layers together. For instance the glue that holds your resolve on the sandal. Historically, the glues that hold shoes together are the most environmentally impactful part of the shoe. I found nothing on their website, so this is another reason that third party certification would be nice.
Totally! More transparency all around would really be the icing on the cake when it comes to this brand 😀
I trekked around Berkeley and San Francisco last week in a pair of big buckle Arizonas. I even marched in them. These shoes are godly.
I stayed in a country where cobblers are relatively common. Back in pre-cvoid era, the street side cobbler would repairs any type of shoes brought to them. They extend the life of shoes with a small fees. Nowadays I have move on to a remote work environment and rarely goes to business districts. Hope they are doing okay.
I'm amazed to know how long theses shoes have been around: I saw them first in the late 80's wore by tourist, and then I saw them so comfortables and "real" I really wanted them
i thought my birkenstocks (which i've had for around 7 years) were on their last legs but it's really good to know that they are so easily reparable!
Thanks for the video. Hadn't realised how easily repairable they were and was eyeballing both pairs of (secondhand) birks sitting on my floor.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I just bought some Birkenstock for Christmas because of this video. I really hope you meant everything you said in this video.
After your previous Birkenstock videos, it convinced me to take the plunge and I'm now absolutely in love with my Arizonas! I got the same color you have and man it changed everything about how I think about footwear
That's great to hear, Jakob! Glad you're enjoying them 😁
Hey What colorway is it ?
This is the longest sandal ad I have ever watched.
I have planar fasciitis from an ongoing and recurring work injury. The Arizona is the only thing that makes it possible for me to walk.
Literally just bought my first pair today! You should be the spokesperson for them. Great video
Hey Levi, your videos really helped motivate me to try live a more sustainable lifestyle, however I feel like these Future Proof videos are beginning to follow a rather formulaic structure. It comes across as piggybacking on the popularity of these brands, which feels counter to your stance on sustainability. I preferred the content you did before rebranding when it was more about how we should try to live sustainably, and less emphasis on brand names.
Hey Finlay, thanks so much for the constructive criticism here! We're constantly looking to create new and exciting content and different video structures, and we always appreciate suggestions! However, the main purpose of this channel is to highlight brands and corporations and analyze how their products and business models affect the world (peep the channel bio) with a spin on sustainability so we can reach a wider audience - hope this clears things up ✨
I agree but at the same time I understand if they found a formula that works is that a bad thing or not
Are they supposed to not mention the products they review in the title? "Why is mystery shoe #25 so popular?" Lmao
I agree with you. These videos come across as advertisements even if they're not meant to be. They definitely push people to buy the products they talk about. I've noticed it too
To be fair,I think the first time I saw Levi was the other video he did on Birkenstocks a few years ago,lol
Hey Levi, I watched this video of yours and I had no idea about Birks at all. I have a pair of crocs but they've worn out so i was hunting for a new pair. I got so interested in them that I started searching everything. Even posted on Reddit to get more info and just like you, I've got completely flat feet. So I am so delighted to find comfort that birks are great for flat feets, I've ordered one and I am so excited. Everything happened in 3 4 days.
Thank you so much my friend.
Keep us updated for when they arrive :)
I will :)
I went for a Nubuck leather Arizona. I've got no idea what that material is but fingers crossed.
@@Marsk1tty They arrived yesterday and I am loving them.
Great information here. Definitely needs a part 2 now that Birkenstock is a public company now. They IPO'd a few days ago.
I jumped on the bandwagon 5 years ago and they’re still kicking strong! Worn them hiking, cutting the lawn, in rain and snow.
Wow, that's awesome they've lasted you so long. They truly are all-weather 😅
I just got my Birkenstocks resoled thanks to learning it from you and one of your older videos
What a surprise ending! I am really curious about the acquisition and looking forward to your update video
Haha glad you enjoyed! Keep your eyes peeled for this next one 👀🤩
I’m so German, of course I love my Birkenstocks 😅 I have a pair of Madrid in EVA for my travels, they are waterproof (perfect for the bathroom, pool etc.) and lighter as my cork ones 🤓
I have multiple pairs of Birkenstocks in a few different styles, the oldest is about 5 years old… I cannot wear any other shoe, nor do I want to! They may not look like much but they go with everywhere and look adorable! I have planters fasciitis that flares up from time to time.. especially barefoot .. so a pair of Birkenstocks are typically on my feet.. whether the sandal or my Boston clogs.. even my slippers are Birkenstocks! They are worth the investment… an easy grab and go and works with anything you wear or anywhere you need to go.
I now understand why they are expensive! Thank you. I thought it was a weird fad, but this makes 100% sense
I got my first pair of Birkenstocks 12 days ago and i love them even though i get pretty bad blisters but i dont care because their so comfortable and i love how they look 😍 (i got the Arizona ones)
Hey Levi. You should do a video on Citizen. They’re one of three Japanese heavyweight watch manufacturers. Their Eco drive technology is really cool since it’s basically powered by light. I’ve talked to owners of Citizens who have had their watches for years without any issues. Definitely better than changing a normal battery every few years!
I love my Birkenstocks, but I would have liked if you could have touched on negative subjects like the undermining of unions and labour laws by Birkenstock until 1997 and that there wasn’t equal pay for women until 2012 as they were earning one euro less per hour. Today Birkenstock is part of the luxury conglomerate LMVH and it will be interesting what direction the company will take.
This is a great point! Thanks for sharing this because we do miss stuff like this sometimes. We actually have a whole video coming about the acquisition and our thoughts on it so stay tuned for that.
10x. for the info.Once it’s bought by a corp it’s the shareholders profiteering and quality goes downhill.
My girlfriend just got me a pair of Birkenstocks sandals. They are not just a style they are an investment. Sandals that you can take back to Birkenstocks and they will repair them better than any run-of-the-mill sandal you'll get out there.
I got a pair of arizonas for work, and 4 pair of different birkenstocks for outdoor use
loooooove them
Was a fan of Crocs for 3 decades, off late they have a lot of quality issues, now i have moved into Birkenstock and I'm a happy loyal fan of it!!
Finally the birkenstock video. Been waiting for months.
So glad you've been looking forward to it! We may or may not have another one coming up 👀
Well done!
I have a gizeh with black leather upper and yes it took ages and pain to walk those puppies in, but now it is so comfortable I tend to reach for my birkenstock every summer
I watched your first iteration of this video back in the day and got myself a pair. I do agree the breaking in is worth it. I also wear them with socks sometimes lol
Glad we could make an impact! Yeah, socks and birks are a LOOK 🤠😅
This was a good ad. I think im gonna go buy some birks now thanks
I've bought countless pairs of off-brand Birkenstock Arizonas from Deichmann and Reno here in Germany over the last two decades and didn't even know anything about that Birkenstock craze.
They were simply the most comfy sandals I could find. Period.
Alright, alright. I'm getting a pair. Or Two.
What has your period got to do with your footwear
I have so many pairs of these. They're so comfortable. I stand on my feet a lot and they don't hurt at the end of the day.
While I love Birkenstocks myself you should consider exploring the types of leather available within the fashion industry. There is a big difference between "genuine leather" and "full grain leather", both of which Birkenstock (and many other brands) uses in their products. This point would further explore the environmental and sustainability side of this topic. Great video as always!
💯
All genuine leather means is it’s not pleather or bonded leather.
Nice video all doubts are clear now
tbh i was abit disappointed with getting birkenstocks on my 18th birthday... but goddamn now i realise the true value, these are so comfy around the house. New customer for life
excellent editorial
honestly I thought they were so ugly but then I got a pair after my friend convinced me and they are so comfortable, that's what keeps me buying them !
As a sales person in Birkenstock, I feel good watching a video like this
Love these sandals! I even did an unboxing video haha. Got my first pair a few months ago!
Watching this after buying a pair to treat foot pain. Their design and fit are perfect, I don't wan to wear anything else but I need work boots so I don't drop heavy stuff on my toe, not sandals. they have some Birki Sport insoles I am excited to try.
I still have a pair of Boston Birkenstocks from high school in the 80s--I have even had them re-soled to a larger size footbed when I was pregnant. And I have a pair of Florida Birkenstocks from the early 90s. I love them! I am nervous to hear that the've been acquired by another company. I really hope the quality does not diminish.
Great content as always 😀 Duckfeet could be another interesting footwear brand to cover.
I am cracking up because if you did a vote for anyone under 40, the % of peeps that know what a cobbler is would be in the teens or lower. Maybe you should do a video on just that. I am shocked on how many people do not know, especially when I watched one of my friend throw out a +500 pair of shoes because the heel fell off. We had a very long discussion and she cried because she had been throwing out designer shoes for years.
So glad someone told her omg! Thanks for watching!
Given 99% of designer stuff is just upcharged cheap crap with a name and logo slapped on it they probably weren't repairable anyway.
Cobblers charge too much. I once got quoted the price of buying new to replace the sole. (Clarks if you’re wondering).
@@amyx231 Is that the same Clarks as the shoe shop? Of course they're going to overcharge you they want to sell you more shoes.
@@TheAkashicTraveller independent cobbler. Clarks shoes I meant
My Birkenstocks and Blundstones are far and away my most expensive pairs of footwear (not counting things like ski boots), but they are without a doubt the best quality and the longest lasting. For any other pair of shoes I'll get 1 to 1.5 years out of them before I have to buy a new pair. I've had my Birks and Blundstones for years at this point and aside from them looking a bit scuffed (which is a part of the style) they're still comfortable and good as new. They may cost more up front, but they are far and away much cheaper in the long run.
The pain that I had was from the suede itself 😭 I definitely broke in the footbed but the suede felt like a cheese grater in the arch of my foot. I want to wear birks so badly, I loved mine, but that suede was so painful.
"The suede was so painful" is such an oxymoron 🤣
Would love to see you do a story on Rainbow sandals? It's probably the best flip flop, I had mine. for10 years and just got another pair. Hands down still the best.
I don't own any Birkenstock sandal, but I have 2 pairs of lookalikes I bought 20 years ago, before I even knew what a Birkenstock was. I don't know the brand but they were produced here in my country, Portugal. They're really good quality and have endured a lot, have been at the cobbler (yeah, I just learn a new and useful English word), have been soaked in water and are still in great shape.
I’ve suffered with planta faciatus and these are my go to footwear really comfortable
I have an Arizona white and its just dope. And that I might get a mocha Arizona too. Both Arizona and Honolulu are my favorites.
I wear my Arizona's all the time and my friends just called them Jesus sandals I don't think any of them knew about that already being a thing for other Birkenstocks, like none of them even knew what the company was when I started wearing them bagging like junior year of high school, strange coincidence
Ugh wtf they call mine jesus sandals too
My dad also calls mine jesus sandals.
I've had my Birks - Boston style for over 15 years and still going.
Wearing them right now. So good
The Arizona Oiled Leathers are awesome. They are the same model as Steve Jobs, Apple Founder wore for decades.
Love this, my next sandal will be a Birk.
Just bought a pair and converted from my Chaco's, Would love to see you do a video on Chaco's and see the comparison.
One of my ex BFs has one pair of Arizona and one pair of Boston, both in white leather. He has the outsole replaced a few times over the decades. They are still going strong today. I often wonder why Birkenstock charges so much. They probably don’t have repeat buying because the shoes are very easy to repair and renew. I have a pair of Boston. I like them a lot with wool socks.
I love your vids bro! Btw are you Jim Levenstein's brother?
Love my Arizonas and shoes from Birken!!!!
Arizona, best sandals I ever had. Mine are worn out now and beyond repairable so it’s time to order a new pair
Watched two videos. Your bridge to the sponsor us brilliant
I love Birkenstock shoes. I have a high arch and these shoes give a very comfortable fit.
Arguably the most popular yet stylish sandals of all time… never gets out of fashion
Big fan of the Boston clogs. Mine are 16 years old. Awesome.
I’m Canadian and somehow I always manage to wear my birks out while it’s snowing at least once per season and they always held up lol
Honestly I used to mock my dad for wearing his arizonas constantly. Then I got my own pair... now if I'm not wearing a work boot, I'm wearing a birkenstock. Even went and got some birkenstock bend sneakers cause I hated not being able to wear my arizonas out of the house when it was cold. It takes a little bit to get used to the footbed, I remember I my feet ached a little for the first week, but once you get used to them it's like your feet sigh in relief when you slip them on.
Honestly they're just well made, comfortable shoes. And no clunky thick foam heel that makes you walk incorrectly. They're just a good shoe. Period. I was putting on my bend sneakers the other day and reflected upon the fact the lining and tongue seem to be leather too (this isn't true of the ones with canvas on the outside so it's not all of them), and ya know, I just don't know of many popular brands that'd make a leather sneaker and construct it with so much leather.
Interesting how products are received differently in different markets. In Germany those are basically exclusively worn as house shoes and maybe by doctors and nurses at work. You never see people wearing them outside on the streets, not even in the summer when other sandals are common. When people wear sandals, they usually wear the ones with a third strap behind the heel.
I never even considered getting Birkenstocks as regular outdoor shoes, to be honest. To me that would feel kind of like going out wearing a bathrobe as a coat, or like wearing oven mitts as winter gloves. hehe
I love love love Birkenstock’s. I bought my first pair of Arizona’s in 1995 when I was 20 years old and have owned one or more pairs ever since.
Yeah people used to make fun of me at first but after some time the people who long term know me don’t even see them or comment anymore. It’s just me.
I even bought my two year old daughter a pair. Now she is three and just now starting to wear them. She had to grow into them and learn to walk in them. What finally convinced her was one day after stepping on a bee with particularly nasty results I explained to her that the sandals would protect her. Now she learned to walk in them and won’t go outside without them.
I hope the tradition of these shoes will not change too badly with the times. I did notice they now send me catalogs, emails, and texts about sales and new styles. My thinking is hey…I love them but I am simple about shoes. A new pair every 5 or so years is all I need, but I am loyal and will wear them till I die. Maybe I will even request to be buried in a pair. That’s how much a part of me they have become.
The quality of the Birkenstocks aside it is important to mention that the Birkenstock company should be critizised for their fight against basic workers rights. They paid women significantly less till 2013 and bullied workers demanding or being active in the creation of shop commitees.
i bought my first pair three years ago and that pair is literally the only shoe i wear outside of work haha
10/10 for the FF references....Please give editor a raise...
I was given these as a gift they are comfy when u break them in
Thank you Brikenstock! U saved my semi flat feet! The best sandals in the world! Crocs don't have the same support that Birks have. From Crocs to Birk guy!
Me watching this while wearing my pink Birkenstocks Arizona Essentials 🤗
I'm really considering buying a pair of Birkenstocks and I'm pretty sure I will in the near future. I'm just really worried about the new acquisition. I really hope their quality doesn't suffer.
In Germany u are often supposed to take off your shoes inside the house so thousands of families are using this shoes as carpet slippers since generations. This probably explains their long lasting success over decades.