ETRO takes the BIRKENSTOCK Boston Back into the Wild West
Fifty years in, the BIRKENSTOCK Boston is picking up Western hardware and mink suede. ETRO’s latest collab with the German footwear maker puts warm suede and shearling around the familiar clog, alongside a new take on the Arizona. The same shape once sold in California health-food stores has since appeared in Stüssy corduroy and Manolo Blahnik velvet.
BIRKENSTOCK has been making shoes since 1774. The first closed-toe model came out in 1976. Unlike traditional wooden-soled clogs, the Boston’s cork footbed made it lighter and more flexible. Early ads called it the “soft clog.” Its covered toe, adjustable strap, and open heel made it easy to slip on for work or at home. Early stockists included health-food stores and independent footwear shops, particularly in California. Hippies and people drawn to natural materials adopted the shoe, while medical professionals and kitchen workers found it practical for daily use. It got the name Boston in the early 1980s. By then, it was already popular with wider audiences.
The Boston’s wide upper let designers get creative. In 1998, Narciso Rodriguez showed Bostons covered in cashmere flannel on his Milan runway. Later, collaborations tried out new materials and shapes: Rick Owens added oversized buckles, Stüssy’s 2020 version used corduroy suede, and Manolo Blahnik chose jewel-toned velvet with crystal buckles.
ETRO brings its love of texture and decoration to the Boston. The BIRKENSTOCK by ETRO line first appeared at the brand’s Fall/Winter 2026 show in Milan, launching with Boston and Gizeh styles in September. The second release adds the Arizona to the mix, pairing the two-strap sandal with a Boston that fits the new season. Both styles use Mink suede, a warm brown shade that highlights the silver-tone hardware. The Western buckles and matching metal strap tips stand out, adding decoration to the simple uppers. The Boston has sand-colored shearling lining inside, visible at the opening and across the footbed. The Arizona’s footbed is covered in matching nappa leather.