BIRKENSTOCK Opens First Retail Store in France: A Step Towards European Expansion
On July 20, BIRKENSTOCK will inaugurate its very first proprietary retail store in France, located just a few steps from the Centre Pompidou and Paris City Hall. This two-story store will enable the brand to highlight its core values, allowing people to walk as nature intended. The choice of Paris, a global fashion and cultural hub, and the vibrant Marais district perfectly aligns with BIRKENSTOCK’s DNA, marking the start of its retail expansion in Europe.
The store’s 130-square-meter space is uniquely designed with gypsum walls, referencing Paris’s ancient quarries, and prominently features leather and cork, integral to the BIRKENSTOCK footbed. The basement includes an “experience area,” equipped with a giant light box showcasing the latest campaigns, and will host community events and retail activations.
For the grand opening, the store will debut the brand new NATURAL ACTIVE RECOVERY PACK. Limited to 1,500 pieces, this exclusive kit includes the Active Recovery footbed, the special edition Birki Air 2.0, and new cork tools. This package exemplifies BIRKENSTOCK’s dedication to foot health, a legacy that began with Konrad Birkenstock’s early 20th-century innovations and continued with the development of the iconic footbed by Karl Birkenstock in the 1960s.
The NATURAL ACTIVE RECOVERY package offers a comprehensive foot recovery experience, combining active and passive regeneration, and will be available in the Paris store and online before becoming part of the regular range by 2025. Prior to the public opening, an exclusive preview on July 18 and 19 will include guided sports sessions with “Distance Athletic,” a Paris-based running community, and a recovery moment with the new NATURAL ACTIVE RECOVERY KIT.
This Paris store opening is a significant milestone in BIRKENSTOCK’s European retail strategy, aiming to bring the footbed experience directly to consumers and connect with local communities. Over the next few years, BIRKENSTOCK plans to open additional stores in major European cities, furthering its vision of making the original footbed experience accessible to all.