Walk With Us

It’s true, sandal season is officially over. But don’t despair, as Birkenstock is back with a closed-toe offering just in time: the Utti Lace, the shoe for those who love the signature Birkenstock footbed but can’t bear to have their toes out on the underground after the end of August. 

To launch the campaign, Birkenstock has created an ode to autumn in the city with the help of four distinctive London creatives. The tagline of the Utti Lace campaign, “Made to Keep Moving”, is a directive against bed-rotting and the winter blues: Birkenstock wants us touching grass and getting our step-count up, and it invites customers to an immersive installation at their Shoreditch store to do so.

London’s postcodes inspire fierce loyalty, and Birkenstock is tapping into these passions for this campaign. They’ve enlisted four creatives living and working in London to map their local neighbourhoods and create a walking tour that shows off their favourite parts. Each creative hails from a different – and suitably trendy – side of the city. Representing North London, florist Kasia Chin presents a curation of Stoke Newington’s best spots. From South, designer Karimah Hassan shares her favourite parts of Peckham. Over in East, Louis Akinwale, a model and creative director, contributes a whistle-stop tour of Shoreditch, and West London artist Leevar Spies maps out the best bits of Notting Hill. For ten days (12th-21st September) the Shoreditch store will be outfitted with immersive screens and treadmills, allowing guests to take an extended walk around London in the shoe – without violating any return policies. Those who don’t care for exercise should think of it more like a personal runway than a workout.

Utti Lace reimagines the classic moccasin in a sturdy closed-toe city shoe, cast in premium suede and finished with their orthopedic Deep Blue Footbed. The moccasin-inspired style captures some of the elegance of a boat shoe (currently in the spotlight thanks to Miu Miu), with a nod to the latest boho-chic revival. Fashion’s embrace of barely-there trainers and toe-forward footwear has coincided with the popularity of shoes designed to let their wearer feel the floor beneath their feet. With its natural rubber sole, Utti Lace joins the ranks of the tabi and the barefoot shoe, all intended to ground their owner.

The “Made to Keep Moving” campaign puts the diversity of the city on show; you can visit Peckham Rye Market, stroll around Clissold Park, pretend to drink a pint at The Pelican, or dine at 2 Nigerian Boys, all while wearing the Utti Lace. London takes centre stage in this campaign, and there is no better main character. Birkenstock have put forward a shoe that claims to live up to the London lifestyle. Why not hop on a treadmill and be the judge?