MSCHF's $76k USD "Birkinstock" Is Made From Real Hermès Birkin Bags
Forget your off-the-rack Birkenstocks, these are the real work from home flex.
MSCHF is up to its old tricks again, producing what it calls the “Birkinstock.” As you might be able to tell, these Birkenstock‘s are not quite the same as the battered pair you’ve been wearing throughout the coronavirus-related lockdown. In fact, they’re made from destroyed Hermès Birkin bags.
Known for producing the viral “Jesus Shoes,” which saw the Air Max 97’s air midsole get filled with Holy Water, these Birkinstocks might be MSCHF’s craziest invention yet. Taking arguably 2020’s most sought-after, completely unexpected and so very needed shoes and making it insanely luxurious is an oxymoron, to say the least, but it’s proven to be a hit so far with the likes of “Future, Kehlani, and multiple billionaire art collectors” having bought pairs so far.
Prices range from $34,000 USD to $76,000 USD depending on the level of Birkin Bag leather used. For example, one of the more expensive variants is a pair made from destroyed Hermès Porosus Crocodile Birkin 35 bags, of which the rich red leather and un-official co-branding in metallic gold correspond to a price tag of $48,000 USD.
All styles feature a custom-made buckle made from vermeil gold, while the original Birkenstock elements remain the same with its cork footbed and suede lining staying intact. Speaking on why it made the Birkinstock, MSCHF says:
“Materials derive value from their place in history and culture. Historically we make luxury objects out of inherently valuable materials. Gold and jewels are perennial favorites, but rare speaks a language of its own: in the 1800s when aluminum was exotic and new, the bourgeois aristocrats of France prized their flimsy, inconvenient, aluminum cutlery more than their antique silverware. Today, Birkin bags appreciate with an average 14% annual return, consistently beating the S&P 500 – by this metric, just as gold, though shiny, is no longer the basis of currency, we can look to the Birkin bag itself as the new luxury raw material par excellence.”
For more information head over to MSCHF’s website, while those who just want to adore the Birkinstock can do so above.
If you’re looking for other luxury sneakers, then check out the latest from Louis Vuitton.
