Birkenstock’s Utti Lace Walks London Through Four Creatives

Birkenstock may be best known for its open-toe sandals, yet the brand’s story began elsewhere with carefully crafted closed shoes. That lineage resurfaces in the Utti Lace, a contemporary take on the moccasin. Built with adjustability and freedom of movement in mind, the silhouette blends refined design codes with the company’s deep-rooted orthopedic heritage. It is less about following trends and more about extending an ethos that has always aimed to let people move as naturally as possible.

To launch this next chapter, Birkenstock is spotlighting London as a city of countless neighbourhoods, each with its own distinct character. The brand has tapped into this diversity by collaborating with four creatives whose lives are intrinsically shaped by the areas they inhabit. Florist Kasia Chin, creative director and model Louie Akinwale, designer Karimah Hassan, and artist Leevar Spies each bring a different perspective to the city, mapping out personal connections to their corners of North, East, South, and West London.

Anchored by the message Made to Keep Moving, Birkenstock has transformed its Dray Walk store in Shoreditch into a multi-sensory journey. Visitors will be able to slip on the Utti Lace and quite literally walk the city, treadmills paired with immersive screens bring to life the favourite haunts of the campaign’s talent. It’s not just a product launch, but a curated passage through communities that make up London’s cultural fabric.

The 10-day activation opens on Thursday 11th September with an industry-only evening, before welcoming the wider public. Guests are invited to experience London as interpreted by its own residents: from Chin’s serene North London green spaces to Hassan’s vibrant Peckham landmarks; from Akinwale’s East End creative hubs to Spies’ West London cultural pitstops. Each journey reinforces the idea that shoes companions for exploration and connection.

In repositioning the Utti Lace as a modern icon, Birkenstock is demonstrating how heritage design can align seamlessly with the spirit of today’s cities. London’s patchwork of postcodes provides the perfect metaphor: timeless in structure yet ever-evolving in character. Fusing craftsmanship, culture, and community, the brand underscores its mission to create footwear that is not only built to last, but made for the constant movement of life.