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Kylie Jenner relationship herself some designer. The beauty mogul has a cowardly collection of old Dior, Chanel, and Tom Ford-era Gucci pieces to prove it. But the latest accessory she got is above the top luxury at best: Jenner got a pair of “Birkinstocks,” a pair of Birkenstock statement sandals from the MSCHF brand made out of Hermès Birkin bags. (Yes of course.)
On her Instagram stories yesterday, Jenner posted the new big shoes in question. The black, black sandals, for the untrained eye, are different from the classic Arizona Birkenstock style, but with the gold buckles and pointed leather – and the Hermès-style orange box they came in – you could you say there was something a little different different about that. “Thanks @mschf,” she wrote, pointing out that the couple was a gift.
MSCHF claims to be making these “Birkinstocks” by buying authentic Birkins and then completely destroying them. They first remove and flatten a bag, then cut a pattern out of the leather from the shoe, add a cork footbed and a rubber sole to finish it off. Despite being cut up, the shoes still come with real Birkin prices. Price points range from a whopping $ 34,000 to a whopping $ 76,000, depending on what finish you get (you can find them in jars or ostrich leathers, for example). And just in case you’re asking, no, neither Hermès nor Birkenstock are involved in this; where they get all those Birkins is a mystery.
It’s an unconventional approach, but MSCHF certainly gets an A for creativity here. Birkenstocks, a humble summer sandal, has recently received a high fashion revival. Brands like Valentino and Rick Owens have partnered with the brand, and trends like Katie Holmes are hard-core fans. This is the perfect foil for a Birkin bag: loved for being so affordable and affordable.
So making them out of the most prohibitive handbag is a marketing genius move, if you think about it. We have yet to see Jenner in a classic Birkenstock (though her sister Kendall Jenner is into them), but in her nice new form, it makes perfect sense to have a pair. The same goes for stars like Future, Kehlani, and “multi-billion dollar art collectors” who have already bought pairs, according to the brand. And while Jenner seemed to be talented, this is her last piece of status – perhaps even more flexible that she wouldn’t have to pay to spend a car on them as well.