With the opening of its first store in Milan on July 31, 2025, BIRKENSTOCK once again affirms its commitment to offering a holistic brand experience in Europe’s most influential cultural capitals. This marks the brand’s third standalone full-price store in Italy and its 42 nd across Europe. The multifaceted district of Brera provides the ideal setting for the latest chapter in the brand’s expanding retail journey.

"Opening our new store in Milan’s Brera district is a strong reflection of our commitment to bringing BIRKENSTOCK’s core values — function, quality, and tradition to our growing community of loyal consumers in Italy,” says Andrea Cannavò, Vice President Direct-to-Consumer & Membership EMEA. “With a uniquely crafted store design, we aim to foster a more personal connection with our consumers — through immersive storytelling and experiences centered around the footbed, all set in an environment that blends our brand values with the vibrant spirit of Brera.”

PERFECTLY LOCATED IN MILAN’S MOST VIBRANT DISTRICT

Brera, widely regarded as Milan’s most dynamic neighborhood, is a hub of artistic expression and creative heritage. Its organically evolved urban texture and rich cultural history continue to draw an international audience of designers, fashion lovers, artists, and entrepreneurs. Home to institutions such as the renowned Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera and the celebrated Pinacoteca di Brera, the district’s cultural depth and historic resonance are unmistakable. With this new location, BIRKENSTOCK reinforces its ambition to initiate a personal dialogue with like-minded customers, existing and future fans. Housed in a highly visible, stand- alone Tuscan-style building—with a flat roof, pastel façade, and wooden shutters—at the intersection of Corso Garibaldi, Via Mercato, Via Pontaccio, and Via Tivoli – one of the city’s most energetic hot spots. The site used to be the home of prestigious restaurants for over two centuries.

FOCUS ON EXCELLENCE, EXPERIENCE, AND INTERACTION

Spread across 120 square meters and two floors, the store presents a thoughtfully curated selection that highlights key growth categories, including shoes, Professionals, the premium 1774 collection and the Care Essentials line of foot care products—all displayed to be seen, touched, and experienced. These are anchored by the brand’s core collection, featuring timeless sandal and clog icons such as the BOSTON, ARIZONA, and MADRID, complemented by seasonal highlights.

At the heart of the store concept lies a multifaceted, immersive 360° perspective on the brand—centered around the footbed, the very soul of BIRKENSTOCK. Designed to support natural movement and based on fundamental orthopedic principles, the footbed can be explored through multiple interactive elements. A dedicated wall display showcases all footbed sizes and widths, encouraging customers to discover their personal perfect fit and engage more deeply with the brand’s orthopedic DNA. Next to the original cork-latex footbed, the display also invites guests to discover other footbed formats—from the DEEP BLUE FOOTBED in closed shoes, to the flexible footbed for sneakers and other insoles.

A digital installation illustrates the footbed’s distinct anatomical zones, highlighting their benefits through touch-based interaction. Other design elements across the space also draw inspiration from the footbed—the cork seating area subtly echoes the footbed’s silhouette and handcrafted wooden door handles mimic its distinctive form.

CELEBRATING HERITAGE – CREATING THE FUTURE

Reflecting important BIRKENSTOCK values like craftsmanship and timelessness, the interior design evokes a calming, almost zen-like atmosphere. Warm lighting, a soft and elegant color palette, and the use of pure materials—such as cork, regionally sourced stone elements, sisal, birch wood, and brushed aluminum—create a harmonious environment.

The product presentation is thoughtfully integrated into the overall concept, enhancing the store’s eclectic aesthetic while subtly referencing a design language influenced by Brutalism—especially visible in the iconic shapes of the key models. The individual components of the most relevant BIRKENSTOCK classics such as the ARIZONA or BOSTON are highlighted in the form of decorative visuals to illustrate the expertise behind each model. Select archival pieces, showcasing over 250 years of shoemaking tradition, are presented along the staircase leading to the upper floor. There, under the banner "Walk with me", visitors encounter an interactive highlight: a “Footbed Experience Booth” paired with a screen that takes users on a virtual stroll through the streets of Milan, with the floor simulating the terrain shown—a captivating, tactile experience best enjoyed in one’s favorite BIRKENSTOCKS.

In keeping with the brand’s commitment to community and creative exchange, the local artist Gianluca Brando is invited to design a sculptural foot inspired installation for the store. These pieces pay tribute to BIRKENSTOCK’s founding purpose: to empower everybody to walk as nature intended like barefoot on sand, grass, or clay—contributing to maintaining healthy feet.

A MILANESE SOFT OPENING

BIRKENSTOCK will host a soft opening on July 31, inviting first guests and valued community members. A “welcome gelato”, created in collaboration with Gelateria Umberto 1934, and an exclusive apron bag —designed to honor the site’s former life as the iconic Rivello restaurant—are just two of the highlights BIRKENSTOCK lovers can look forward to. Bringing the global footwear brand and the local scene closer together, BIRKENSTOCK involves Milanese artisans, each deeply dedicated to their craft. A city-wide out-of-home campaign will feature these artists in their everyday environments. This homage to local craftsmanship will continue throughout summer and will be accompanied by a series of activations co-hosted by the artists themselves in September—celebrating the shared heritage of Milan and BIRKENSTOCK.