BIRKENSTOCK PREVIEWS ITS AUTUMN WINTER 2026 RANGE: A NEW EXPRESSION OF WINTER STYLE FROM A YEAR-ROUND ICON

BIRKENSTOCK PREVIEWS ITS AUTUMN WINTER 2026 RANGE

The brand unveiled a preview of its AW26 collection on Thursday, April 9, with a styling workshop at the Black Brick Hotel in Gardens, Cape Town. The event featured a winter styling masterclass led by Tracy-Lee Rosslind, a versatile local stylist and creative director known for her work across stage, screen, print, and digital media. Her career is distinguished by diverse style, technical expertise, and the use of fashion as a means of empowerment.

Additionally, attendees received an exclusive preview of three BIRKENSTOCK 1774 collections, set to launch in South Africa for the first time.

A Heritage of Comfort: BIRKENSTOCK’s 250+ Year Legacy

BIRKENSTOCK’s shoemaking heritage dates to 1774, emphasising orthopaedic expertise. The brand’s local winter collection introduces boots, closed shoes, home shoes, and sandals, all featuring its signature technology – the Original BIRKENSTOCK Footbed – considered a global standard to this day. Throughout history, BIRKENSTOCK has continued to stand for the principle that footwear should support the body’s natural movement, which inspires their philosophy of “walking the way nature intended”.

AN ODE TO CLOGS: BOSTON – FROM “KORK-CLOG” TO CULT CLASSIC

The BOSTON clog, first introduced in 1976 as the ‘Kork-Clog’, featured an innovative cork-latex footbed replacing traditional wooden platforms. Over time, it gained global popularity, transcending seasons, trends, genders, and cultures, becoming a widely admired footwear style recognised for its comfort and timeless design.

As BOSTON marks its 50th anniversary this year, it affirms its status as a timeless classic this winter.

New BOSTON Styles for AW26 South Africa

• BOSTON Big Buckle in Amalfi leather – black and oyster
• Suede BOSTON – new neutral winter tones
• Exquisite line – leather-wrapped tonal footbed in oyster, navy, and dark tea
• Standard suede collection – charcoal and oyster
• Birko-Flor Birkibuc (skin-friendly synthetic) – mocca and stone

LOMA & SOLANA – A Modern Legacy Grounded in Footbed Technology

The LOMA and SOLANA are the brand’s latest hook-and-loop silhouettes, offering tactile closures and a utility-driven aesthetic. LOMA is a contemporary closed-toe style inspired by the BOSTON, while SOLANA features a minimal aesthetic with an adjustable fastening system for a quick, customisable fit.

In the felt shearling range, both styles are designed to provide warmth with shearling-lined footbeds, available in anthracite and oyster. Suede-upper capsules in charcoal and cork brown offer versatile, easy-to-wear options for cold weather. Both silhouettes celebrate the brand’s clog and sandal heritage.

FROM HERITAGE TO NEW HORIZONS – BIRKENSTOCK WALKING EXPERIENCE IN CLOSED SHOES

BOOTS: Urban Style Meets Unmatched Function

Though BIRKENSTOCK is globally recognised for its sandals and clogs, its origins lie in closed-toe footwear. Guided by the philosophy of “Celebrating and building the archive”, the brand’s latest boots and shoes collection reflects a return to its roots.

HIGHWOOD boot – A winter essential bringing the BIRKENSTOCK footbed to new terrains. Available in classic suede, natural smooth leather, dark tea, tobacco brown, taupe, and lace-up styles in chocolate and brown shades.

UPPSALA boot – A stylish mid-calf lace-up shoe ideal for cold winter days, featuring a popular dark tea colour.

UTTI: A Timeless Moccasin-Style Shoe

The UTTI style features a soft heel tab and a velvety suede upper, designed as a unisex winter lace-up shoe available in black, gray taupe, and pink clay. Inside, a premium Deep Blue footbed offers layered support, complemented by a moisture-wicking lining and PU base.

HOME SHOES: Designed for Homey Snugness

Originally launched as a home shoe, the LUTRY is worn beyond the indoors as a regular clog or with a backstrap for support. New this season: premium grained leather with a refined gold buckle in roast colour, plus suede options in dark tea and oyster.

Winter will also reintroduce the AMSTERDAM, a minimalist house clog designed for slow mornings and cosy evenings, featuring an extended wool upper in light grey and anthracite.

BIRKENSTOCK BUCKLES – The Evolution of a Signature Design Element

Premium Buckles: Crafted to Shine

For decades, BIRKENSTOCK’s signature buckles have been more than a functional fastening; they are a defining element of the brand’s timeless designs. The new Pearl Big Buckle in Ecru features a radiant faux pearl set in an elegant eight-prong crown. The Droplet Buckle with signature teardrop edge finishes ARIZONA and GIZEH styles in carafe, black, and oyster. The Big Buckle range introduces nubuck (pepper colour, mink printed footbed) and High Shine patent leather (oyster).

Wire Buckle: Built with Purpose. Designed with Precision.

The Wire Buckle, originally part of the brand’s men’s collection, now marks a bold step forward in a unisex nubuck range. Available in sandcastle and mocca colours, the ARIZONA Wire Buckle features signature hardware that blends artistry with industrial elegance.

The Footbed at the Heart

Founded in 1774, BIRKENSTOCK is one of the world’s most enduring footwear brands, renowned for centuries of craftsmanship and a dedication to quality. Each pair is crafted from premium, responsibly sourced materials and features the brand’s signature contoured footbed. Designed to support natural movement, it offers functionality, durability, and a naturally supportive walking experience for modern consumers.

Shop BIRKENSTOCK in South Africa

Follow @birkenstockza and shop online at www.bashafrica.com.

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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.

With around 6,200 employees worldwide, BIRKENSTOCK operates a vertically integrated manufacturing base and produces all footbeds in Germany. The brand assembles over 95% of all products in Germany and sources over 90% of materials and components from Europe.

Headquartered in Linz am Rhein, Germany, the BIRKENSTOCK Group operates sales offices in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Poland, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Dubai, Singapore, India, China, and Australia.

For further information, please visit www.birkenstock-group.com. Find the online shop at www.bashafrica.com.

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BIRKENSTOCK Autumn Winter 2026 Range now available in South Africa. Shop boots, clogs, home shoes, and 1774 collections online at Bash Africa. Follow @birkenstockza for updates.

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