ALEX WOLFE
IS IT ART OR FASHION?
The South-East-London-born designer walks the fine line between playful, conceptual design and functionality, already attracting the industry’s attention with features on vogue.com.
THE ROTTERDAM MOTO BOOT
A protective shield for turbulent times – Finding inspiration in the field of motocross Wolfe questions the idea of masculinity and creates a modern gladiator look in both, monochrome black and colorful print, dominated by red and blue tones.
INTERVIEW WITH ALEX WOLFE
Your work focuses on ideas of ‘Britishness’. How did you unite this with the German DNA that is so central to the Birkenstock brand?
The Birkenstock is an iconic shoe, it’s about practicality. The foundation was there, so it was an opportunity to really have fun with it. ‘Britishness’ is kind of subjective/abstract, but I am influenced by the world around me. I wanted to capture a playful sense of irony and a youthful masculinity.
What struck you the most when spending time in the Birkenstock archive? Was there anything about the brand that surprised you?
I was struck by Birkenstock’s extensive history, which dates back to the late 1700s. The brand has really stood the test of time. I was also struck by the precise engineering of the footbed; the shaped areas to support different parts of your foot.
The Birkenstock is an iconic shoe, it’s about practicality. The foundation was there, so it was an opportunity to really have fun with it. ‘Britishness’ is kind of subjective/abstract, but I am influenced by the world around me. I wanted to capture a playful sense of irony and a youthful masculinity.
What struck you the most when spending time in the Birkenstock archive? Was there anything about the brand that surprised you?
I was struck by Birkenstock’s extensive history, which dates back to the late 1700s. The brand has really stood the test of time. I was also struck by the precise engineering of the footbed; the shaped areas to support different parts of your foot.