Footwear fans will be more than familiar with the work of Thibo Denis. The Parisian designer, who has never been to fashion school, is the brains behind Dior’s brilliant run of men’s footwear during its Kim Jones era; the Dior B23, Dior x Air Jordan 1, and the maison’s reworking of the Milano and Tokyo Birkenstock styles are just a few of its famous creations. Now, he continues to build his own design legacy with a Birkenstock reunion, making him a rare two-time collaborator with the heritage footwear brand, only this time it’s under his own name and helping launch Birkenstock’s new collaborative platform, ENSEMBLE 1774.
The ENSEMBLE 1774 collection by Thibo Denis presents three original silhouettes that are developed not from the idea of a traditional sandal, but from the sports sneaker: bread and butter for the designer who loves urban fashion. Named after the brand’s historic factories, the Uerzell is a refined slip-on mule in soft suede; the Stroedt, a low-profile lace-up style with a minimalist construction and a single top strap; and the Goerlitz, a chunky lace-up sneaker that features two upper straps that subtly echo the Arizona’s double-strap construction, are all more dynamic in both shape and color. The effect is what one might associate with the sport of “climbing,” or strolling through urban landscapes: the informant of Denis’s approach to his creations.
“I was inspired by the 1970s, when guys wore jeans and leather jackets to climb mountains. A real vintage 1970s idea with a modern twist,” the designer shared. “The tools focused mainly on the codes of the Birkenstock house: I wanted the cork to be very obvious, but I wanted to soften it to give it more ergonomic and dynamic lines. I wanted the materials and colors to be the gift of what it is. Birkenstock.” The color palette features tonal colors, the rich suedes presented not only a reminder of the rugged charm of the outdoors, but also the idea of ease and comfort in movement.
All three feature Birkenstock’s signature blue footbed, which is a removable, anatomically shaped footbed rooted in the brand’s orthopedic tradition. It is designed to support all the arches of the foot, distributing pressure evenly across the entire surface, as if walking barefoot on natural terrain. What is a Birkenstock shoe without its charm of improving over time?
Learn more about Thibo Denis’s ENSEMBLE 1774 collection at Instagram. The collection is available exclusively at BIRKENSTOCK Marina Bay Sands Boutique and online. Once you’re done with this story, click here to catch up on our October 2025 issue.
