Birkenstock and Manolo Blahnik: is this the most unlikely fashion pairing ever?

The maker of comfy sandals has hired Blahnik – famed for its luxury stilettos – to jazz up its women’s range. Stand by for a €500 version with a sparkly buckle

Luxury sandals from the new Manolo Blahnik for Birkenstock collection.

No two shoe designers have less overlap than Birkenstock and Manolo Blahnik, the brand that was immortalised by Sex and the City. Should they collaborate on a new shoe that struggles hard to merge their disparate styles? Probably not. But have they? Yes.

Birkenstock has hired Blahnik to jazz up its women’s range. The results of this crazed experiment include fuchsia and royal blue velvet interpretations of the classic Arizona model, and a new version of the black leather Boston shoe. The likelihood is that you won’t buy a pair of these shoes.