Filson's beefed-up Birkenstock collab is an easy all-year-round hit | British GQ

Oct 18, 2024

If you're in a stylish part of a stylish city, you’re in certified Birkenstock territory. The shoe manufacturer’s Boston clogs and Arizona sandals have long been the de-facto low-effort, high yield mule of cool guys and for good reason. Its cushioned footbeds contour to your foot, creating a semi-bespoke fit that rides the line between shoe and slipper. That formula hasn't changed much since 1774.

And that’s why the collaboration between Birkenstock 1774 (1774 is the collaborative arm behind hook ups with brands like Stüssy and Concepts) with Seattle-based outdoors brand Filson makes sense. “Our products are based in natural materials, there’s a fair amount of handwork that is done on our respective products, and we’re also both [focused on] utility and function," says Filson’s Chief Creative Officer, Alex Carleton. “It just felt like we could do something interesting together with our material sensibility.”

For Carelton, the collab meant fusing bushcraft (aka the skills and equipment needed to survive in the wild) with Birkenstock’s mix of handwork and progressive design for a “beautiful take on German engineering and precision." It’s a bit like applying the same German manufacturing principles seen in the country’s car exports to really rugged footwear. “They’re steeped in the ancient ark of manufacturing, yet it’s not archaic, and the products are just as useful today as they may have been a century ago,” says Carelton.

The collection throws three collaborative silhouettes into the mix: the London Methow, a buckle-finished, super thin unlined low-top; Lahti, a soft hunting boot in Filson’s Mackensaw wool; and the Skyomish, a utilitarian boot with Filson’s tin-cloth upper and a textured rubber mudguard. Both the Lahti and the Skyomish feature Birkenstock’s signature Deep Blue footbed, inspired by the natural movement of the foot.

If you're wondering why a Birkenstock needs a mudguard, then hear us out. The collection is centred around the idea of the campsite, and the type of comfort you’d need after a long day outdoors. “It was sort of the après idea that you will use this around camp," says Carleton. "It’s the ultimate camp shoe, it’s the lodge boot.”

But its appeal extends beyond actual outdoorsy stuff, and works pretty good for city guys, too. “Our team members here started wearing them with jeans,” says Carleton. “We sort of envision this as a town and country footwear that has a rustic look, a rustic appeal. It’s certainly at home in the outdoors but also looks great in town.” Basically the collection covers both wilderness kings and fashion dudes looking amp up their inner mountain daddy.

The Filson x Birkenstock collection drops on October 22 on 1774.com, the Filson web store, and global retailers.