For its newest collaboration BIRKENSTOCK was drawn to Italy, more precisely to Porto Ercole, perched atop the rocky coast of Tuscany. Here, between Rome and Pisa, lies Hotel Il Pellicano, the childhood home of Marie-Louise Sciò, creative director and CEO of the Italian 5-star luxury retreat, icon of La Dolce Vita. Together with BIRKENSTOCK Sciò fulfilled her dream and designed a timelessly elegant version of the Arizona sandal: From lemony yellow and warm shades of brown to navy-blue and luminous fuchsia red, her designs breathe the jet set zeitgeist of the sixties but also meet the needs of modern men and woman of today: for a sandal that can be worn day and night.

That no one else could have given the Italian dolce vita a better form than Marie-Louise becomes clear when one looks at the genesis of Hotel Il Pellicano. Its evolution reads like a modern fairy tale: Founded as a love nest by two travelling lovers the property on the pristine clove sheltered by rugged cliffs of Tuscany evolved quickly into the hideaway for the rich and famous of the sixties. Among them Roberto Sciò, who madly fell in love with the estate and eventually bought it. His daughter Marie-Louise Sciò, growing up in the beautiful setting, was fully immersed in the Italian way of life from her very first minute. Becoming a forward thinking creative director though is purely on her.

As a trained architect Marie-Louise began to rethink the hotel and over the last 15 years she remodelled and rebuild the property, turning Il Pellicano, together with its sister hotels La Posta Vecchia and Mezzatorre, into the most beloved destination of the creative world. She understood, that the secret lies in going beyond luxury. It is a way of thinking, as she says, that makes Il Pellicano and its esprit so notably unique. The liaison with BIRKENSTOCK is only logical. Born out of the joint understanding of quality and a unique sense for the demands on fashion today the collection is an invaluable enrichment for both, the designer and the brand.

Sciò, who relies on Birkenstocks in her daily life, was missing a more elegant version. She wanted a sandal that could be worn for every occasion day and night, and promptly designed it herself. Her six styles revive the cosmopolitan spirit of the past: Pairing elegant colours, valuable materials, and handcrafted character such as silk and raffia. The legendary images of the sixties by photographer Slim Aarons, capturing the spirit of a more carefree time, live on in the ‘Il Dolce Far Niente’ campaign by collage master and photographer Peter Langer.

Constantly in motion yet a master of idleness - il dolce far niente. Marie-Louise’s designs are not only beautiful footwear, but also a precious reminder to live every moment in life to the fullest.



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