Most individuals have heard of the Birkenstock brand of sandals, most well published for their cork footbeds that are able to contour to the shape of one ' s head. But what most mortals don ' t know is how these world - famous shoes came to be.
Birkenstocks can rehearse their heritage back to 1774, making the brand proper name older than the United States of America itself. That ' s when one Johann Adam Birkenstock registered his alias as the agnomen of his shoemaker company.
It would be over 100 years following that Johann ' s grandson, Konrad, developed a contoured insole in 1897. Konrad went on to further develop the first flexible arch support in 1902. Over a hundred years ago, the Birkenstock family was leading the way with industry firsts in the footwear business.
But world fame would have to wait more than another century and a half. It was 1964 when Johann ' s distant offspring, Karl, would finally develop the famous sandal we all know today. But it was its discovery by an American that would start its amazing rise to fame. While on vacation to Germany, American Margot Fraser stumbled across Karl ' s creation, which she used to gain relief for a foot condition she was suffering from.
Margot was so impressed with the sandals that she founded a company to distribute the sandals in America. Margot was the first American dealer for Birkenstock shoes, opening up shop in California in 1967. To this day, the company Margot founded remains the exclusive distributor for the famed sandals in America.
In Germany, the sandals were mostly used as house slippers, but by the 1980 ' s, the sandals were gaining in popularity in the United States amongst professionals that were on their feet for long hours. These included medical doctors, dentists, nurses, and so forth.
Today, their popularity has grown beyond any conceivable control by the manufacturer and brand owner. They tend to be worn by celebrities, show up in movies without Birkenstock paying for product placement, both chided and revered in popular culture and media, and have managed to become tied to college - aged people with liberal political leanings despite the fact that they are worn by persons off all political persuasions.
Johann ' s influence has managed to cross the centuries all the way to today. While most people will never know who Johann Adam Birkenstock is or what he has done for the world, his legacy of world famous cork sandals is cemented in world history.
