BIRKENSTOCK OPENS ITS VERY FIRST OWN RETAIL STORE IN FRANCE

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July 22, 2024 7:00 AM EDT

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Located in the Marais district of Paris, the store is a milestone in BIRKENSTOCK's retail expansion in Europe

LINZ AM RHEIN, Germany and PARIS, July 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --

A PERFECT LOCATION

On July 20, BIRKENSTOCK will open its very first own retail store in France. Located just a few steps from the Centre Pompidou and the Paris City Hall, the two-story space will allow the brand to showcase its core values and enable people to walk the way nature intended.

BIRKENSTOCK has chosen Paris, one of the world's fashion and cultural capitals, and the vibrant Marais district, which perfectly matches its DNA, to kick-start its retail expansion journey in Europe. In this uniquely designed 130-square-meter store, gypsum walls are a reminder that the city was built over ancient quarries of this rock, which is used to make plaster. Leather and cork, which are at the heart of the BIRKENSTOCK footbed, are also prominently featured in this space where the brand will engage with consumers and connect with local communities as well as walking and running enthusiasts. In the basement, an "experience area," equipped with a giant light box showcasing the latest campaigns, will be used for community events and retail activations.

EXPERIENCE THE NATURAL ACTIVE RECOVERY PACK

For the opening, this space will showcase the brand new NATURAL ACTIVE RECOVERY PACK. Limited to 1,500 pieces and featuring exclusive packaging, this kit includes the Active Recovery footbed, the special edition Birki Air 2.0, and the all-new cork tools.

Foot health has always been at the heart of BIRKENSTOCK. At the turn of the 20th century, Konrad Birkenstock developed an anatomically shaped shoe last and flexible insoles, two of which he soon called "Fußbett." These innovations form the basis of the "BIRKENSTOCK system." At the beginning of the 1960s, his grandson Karl Birkenstock designed the first standardized original Birkenstock footbed as we know it today. Inspired by natural walking, it provides the foot with natural support, ensures even weight distribution, supports the arch of the foot and prevents unnatural pressure points from the heel to the toes.

The new NATURAL ACTIVE RECOVERY package offers an unmatched foot recovery experience that enhances all current solutions. Building on the fundamental principle of walking as nature intended, which has changed the footwear to today, this new innovation goes further by offering a symbiotic approach that combines both active and passive regeneration for comprehensive recovery. The pack will be available in the Paris store and online before being fully integrated into the BIRKENSTOCK range by 2025.

Before the store opens to the public on 20 July, guests and media are invited to an exclusive preview and brand experience on 18 and 19 July. They will be invited to take part in guided sports sessions with "Distance Athletic," a Paris-based running community, followed by a moment of recovery with the brand new NATURAL ACTIVE RECOVERY KIT.

THE FIRST STEP OF A GREATER JOURNEY

The opening of the Paris store, the first one in the region in the last 4 years, represents an important step and a reference point in the development of BIRKENSTOCK's retail strategy in Europe. In order to bring the footbed experience directly to consumers and connect with local communities and to share its brand values, BIRKENSTOCK will be opening other own stores in several major European cities over the next few years. This will enable the company to achieve its vision of giving everyone access to the original footbed experience.

Nico Bouyakhf, President & Managing Director, BIRKENSTOCK Europe: "This store will help us to connect more personally with consumers. There are many key cities where we are not present in Europe, and we are excited to start our retail expansion in a more meaningful way with an iconic city like Paris and in a renowned location like the Marais, bringing rich storytelling and experience around the footbed in a unique environment that reflects an authentic Parisian flavor."

INFORMATION FOR MEDIA

Store Address: 17 Rue des Archives, 75004 Paris
Opening Times: Monday – Saturday: 10:30am – 7:30pm
Store Imagery: TBA

PRESS INQUIRIES

Birkenstock Group B.V. & Co. KG
Burg Ockenfels
53545 Linz am Rhein
Germany

Postal address:
BIRKENSTOCK Group
Lenbach Palais
Lenbachplatz 3
80333 Munich
Germany

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INSTAGRAM

ABOUT BIRKENSTOCK

BIRKENSTOCK is a global brand which embraces all consumers regardless of geography, gender, age and income and which is committed to a clear purpose – maintaining foot health. Deeply rooted in studies of the biomechanics of the human foot and footed on a family tradition of shoemaking that can be traced back to 1774, BIRKENSTOCK is a timeless "super brand" with a brand universe that transcends product categories and ranges from entry-level to luxury price points while addressing the growing need for a conscious and active lifestyle. Function, quality, and tradition are the core values of the lifestyle brand which features products in the footwear, sleep system, and natural cosmetics segments. BIRKENSTOCK is the inventor of the footbed and has shaped the principle of walking as intended by nature ("Naturgewolltes Gehen").

With around 6,200 employees worldwide, we believe how things are made matters as much as the product itself. To ensure these quality standards, we operate a vertically integrated manufacturing base and produce all our footbeds in Germany. In addition, we assemble over 95% of our products in Germany and we source over 90% of our materials and components from Europe. We process our inputs to the highest environmental and social standards in the industry by operating state-of-the-art scientific laboratories for materials testing.

In Germany, BIRKENSTOCK runs operational sites in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, Bavaria, Saxony, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Headquartered in Linz am Rhein, the BIRKENSTOCK Group also operates its own sales offices in the United States and Canada as well as in Brazil, Japan, Denmark, Poland, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Norway, the Netherlands, Dubai, Singapore and India.