Birkenstocks are known for their functionality, not necessarily for having a formal look. But some brides have said they would wear the orthopedic-rooted sandals down the aisle — if only they were reworked to have a distinctly bridal appearance.
In 2023, Danielle Frankel Hirsch, a popular designer for fashionable brides, asked herself, “What if Birkenstock was a bridal shoe? What does that look like?” She sketched dozens of designs, keeping in mind the many faithful Birkenstock customers who want to be comfortable on their wedding day and still feel stylish.
As lifelong fans of Birkenstock, Ms. Frankel Hirsch, who founded the bridal brand Danielle Frankel in 2017, and her husband, Joshua Hirsch, the chief executive of the company, took a particular interest in this concept. He owns seven pairs; she owns five. Mr. Hirsch said he had gotten his first pair of Birkenstocks as a child from Tip Top Shoes on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, a fact he mentioned in a cold email to David Kahan, the president and managing director of Birkenstock Americas, three years ago.
On Feb. 12, Danielle Frankel and Birkenstock will unveil a bridal collection of six styles reworked in the lustrous fabrics and materials of Ms. Frankel Hirsch’s modern brand. Among the styles available for purchase are the Madrid sandals, featuring slender ties, the Arizonas, in ivory satin, and the Tulums, adorned with pearls.
Two of the styles are custom and made upon request: a hand-painted Boston clog and an Arizona sandal embroidered with wispy chiffon blooms.
“There’s obviously a level of seriousness to a wedding,” Ms. Frankel Hirsch said. “But I thought that this was a really great way to infuse joy and a bit of a cheeky quality to it that maybe you haven’t seen from us before.”
Ms. Frankel Hirsch employed the artisanal techniques used in her New York City atelier to incorporate pearls, handworked cords and couture trims to give the sandals a bridal look. The bottom of each shoe is inspired by a pattern from the brand’s lace fabrics. Made in Birkenstock’s German factories, the ready-to-wear sandals range in price from $660 to $950. (The cost of the custom styles vary.) A collection of five Danielle Frankel gowns and one suit was also created to match the shoe collection.
“Our purpose is to empower people to walk the way nature intended,” said Oliver Reichert, the chief executive of Birkenstock. “That belief doesn’t stop at everyday life. So why not create something thoughtfully and beautifully designed for the most memorable and meaningful moments in life.”
The demand for bridal Birkenstocks has been so high that some devoted fans of the brand are taking a D.I.Y. approach. Brandi Steele, a 32-year-old medical biller, used glue and tweezers to apply pearls and rhinestones to a pair of white Birkenstocks for her upcoming March 14 wedding in Brooksville, Fla.
“I don’t have to worry about blisters,” Ms. Steele said. “I don’t have to worry about anything breaking. The quality is always fantastic no matter what.”
Now, the bridal slip-ons she had envisioned will be available online and in select stores.
For some brides, part of the appeal in choosing a practical shoe for their wedding day is that it becomes a memento that they can wear at everyday occasions afterward. Calista McCullough, a 23-year-old nurse who was married in June 2025 in Wakefield, Mich., changed into Birkenstocks for her reception, which involved lots of dancing.
“I knew I’d be able to wear the Birkenstocks all night and be comfortable in them,” she said, “and I thought it was kind of fun that I could have them forever. If I want to wear them, I remember everything that happened on the wedding day.” Ms. McCullough asked a relative and pyrography artist, Rebecca Holm, to burn floral designs into the leather sandals, and has since worn them several times.
“They’re probably my favorite shoes,” said Ms. McCullough, who plans on wearing them for anniversaries.
“There is something happening right now where I think people are a little bit more undone,” Ms. Frankel Hirsch said. “They want to feel like themselves. They don’t want to feel stuffy in a way. And this allows someone to truly enjoy the moment. To kick off your heels and be able to put on a Birkenstock — but that Birkenstock be an elevated Birkenstock for your wedding, that was designed for that.”
Sadiba Hasan reports on love and culture for the Styles section of The Times.
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