Birkenstock’s Art & Sole Concept Store At 44 Stanley
Birkenstock celebrates 250 years of shoemaking with their limited edition Art & Sole Concept Store at 44 Stanley. Donned with the best Birks, a personalisation station and local artistic works on the walls, it is a sight to behold until 16 December 2024.
The upstairs shop in this artistic corner of Johannesburg spans 280 square metres, but feels like a never-ending living museum. It travels back through the different decades of Birkenstock to commemorate its beginning, middle and current chapters.
Designing the Art & Sole Concept Store
As you enter the store, the Birkenstock timeline of events leads you up a staircase and into a wide room filled with light and colour. Curated by Henry Leutwyler, the exhibition takes you on a trip down memory lane. When nearing the top of the staircase, it’s Birkenstocks lining the walls and in the centre of the shop that lure you in.
Every aspect of the Art & Sole store was made from the natural materials found in Birkenstocks. Designed by TDC&Co, these include cork, wood, metal, jute and leather. A selection of furniture pieces and décor elements are from Urban Native, founded by Mpho Vackier. Ultimately, these additions aim to tell the African story of Birkenstock through functional, yet cultural designs.
In essence, the experimental space not only pays homage to Birkenstock, but also other local talent in the industry. South African illustrator and artist, Naledi Modupi, created three collectible custom box sleeves which shoppers receive when making a purchase at Art & Sole.
Modupi said: “The opportunity to work on these designs for Birkenstock has been a moment to solidify stories around authenticity through genuine representation. What an honour it is to contribute to such a meaningful legacy – I hope the fresh and proudly South African perspectives I bring also pay homage to the roots that make Birkenstock special.”
Last but not least, local fashion designer and founder of Project Inflamed, Mandla Thabethe, showcases his Soweto-born designs. Each of his outfits are completed with the perfect Birks, reminding us that fashion is all around.
A Retail Experience Like No Other
At Art & Sole, customers not only get to shop for Birks, but they also get to experience the quintessential philosophy of Birkenstock itself. As you browse, you can look up at artworks that display Birkenstocks from its heyday right through to today’s fashionable footwear options offered by the brand. Various design elements of their shoes – old and new – adorn the walls. And, in the middle of the reconstructed shoes, stands a deconstructed Birkenstock.
Additionally, you can shop while sipping on a delightful cup of coffee from the Bean There Coffee Company pop-up, where a barista is ready to take your orders. Of course, their certified fair trade single origin African coffee is yet another example of how Birkenstock supports local talent.
A customisation station also allows for personalised laser engravings onto any pair of Birkenstocks. These could either be a favourite pair from home or newly bought ones from Art & Sole.
Shoppers are also privy to the Hourglass Exhibition. This is an archive of imagery and objects that shows the development of the first Birkenstock. It details how the brand has evolved over 250 years and intertwines the story of a shoemaker, a supportive family and a burning ambition to allow walking as nature intended.
If you are a Birkenstock fan or strive to become one, the Art & Sole Concept Store at 44 Stanley is waiting to invite you home. “Put your foot in it, you’ll know” is the Birkenstock motto for 2024, so go and put your foot in it before the Art & Sole concept store moves on to the next of 25 countries around the globe.
