Artwork

Content provided by The Wall Street Journal. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by The Wall Street Journal or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.
Player FM - Podcast App
Go offline with the Player FM app!

Science of Success: Birkenstocks and the Promise of Healthy Feet

10:52
 
Share
 

Manage episode 419981285 series 2428760
Content provided by The Wall Street Journal. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by The Wall Street Journal or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.

How did a sandal that originally entered the U.S. market as a health product become a fashion staple and the crowning shoe of a multibillion dollar company? Margot Fraser originally brought Birkenstocks to the U.S. thinking that the comfort of the German sandal would appeal to women. But she couldn’t get shoe stores to sell them. They finally made it into the U.S. market through health food stores. Now, the seductively ugly shoe is a cultural icon and was valued at about $8.6 billion when the company went public last year. WSJ’s Ben Cohen explores the history of Birkenstock and how it paved the way for the future of women’s feet.

What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com

Further reading:

Why Americans Are Obsessed With These Ugly Sandals

A Key to Birkenstock’s Billion Dollar Success? Its Frumpiest Shoe

A Visual History of Birkenstock’s Rise, From Insoles to IPO

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  continue reading

224 episodes

Artwork
iconShare
 
Manage episode 419981285 series 2428760
Content provided by The Wall Street Journal. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by The Wall Street Journal or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.

How did a sandal that originally entered the U.S. market as a health product become a fashion staple and the crowning shoe of a multibillion dollar company? Margot Fraser originally brought Birkenstocks to the U.S. thinking that the comfort of the German sandal would appeal to women. But she couldn’t get shoe stores to sell them. They finally made it into the U.S. market through health food stores. Now, the seductively ugly shoe is a cultural icon and was valued at about $8.6 billion when the company went public last year. WSJ’s Ben Cohen explores the history of Birkenstock and how it paved the way for the future of women’s feet.

What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com

Further reading:

Why Americans Are Obsessed With These Ugly Sandals

A Key to Birkenstock’s Billion Dollar Success? Its Frumpiest Shoe

A Visual History of Birkenstock’s Rise, From Insoles to IPO

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  continue reading

224 episodes

All episodes

×
 
Loading …

Welcome to Player FM!

Player FM is scanning the web for high-quality podcasts for you to enjoy right now. It's the best podcast app and works on Android, iPhone, and the web. Signup to sync subscriptions across devices.

 

Quick Reference Guide