Balletcore has proved to have far more staying power than many expected. What began on the runways of Miu Miu, Simone Rocha and Cecilie Bahnsen has filtered into everyday wardrobes, with ballet flats, ribbon details and satin finishes popping up everywhere from Sunday markets to the office. The trend has endured because it’s never really been about dressing like a ballerina. Instead, it’s borrowed the qualities associated with ballet itself: elegance, softness and ease.
Footwear has become the movement’s natural home. Ballet flats, satin mules and ribbon-laced sandals have steadily replaced bulkier silhouettes, signalling fashion’s shift away from chunky sneakers and towards something a little lighter. It was perhaps inevitable that brands beyond luxury fashion would join the conversation. Puma, Adidas, Charles & Keith and Converse have all flirted with balletcore. Birkenstock, however, wasn’t on many people’s bingo cards.
The German footwear giant has partnered with Repetto, the French house founded in 1947 by Rose Repetto, who originally created dance shoes for her son, celebrated choreographer Roland Petit. Her supple ballet slippers would go on to become one of fashion’s most enduring shoe designs, worn by everyone from professional dancers to Brigitte Bardot.
At first glance, the pairing feels a little odd. One is famous for sensible cork footbeds and practical sandals; the other for delicate ballet slippers. Look a little closer though, and the collaboration begins to make sense. Both brands were founded on the same belief: shoes should move with the foot, not fight against it. One simply arrived there through orthopaedics, the other through dance.
It’s also the latest in a growing list of unexpected Birkenstock collaborations. In recent years, the brand has worked with everyone from Dior and Manolo Blahnik to Valentino, proving that comfort and high fashion are no longer mutually exclusive.
That shared philosophy plays out across three silhouettes. The Arizona, Birkenstock’s signature sandal, is updated with oversized round buckles that soften its familiar two-strap design. The Opéra sabot introduces long ribbons that wrap around the ankle in a clear nod to ballet slippers, while the Scala, available internationally but sadly not in South Africa, leans furthest into the aesthetic with a rounded toe, slim straps and a delicate bow.
Each style comes in three Repetto-developed shades: Iconic Pink, Flame Red and Profound Black. A Vichy-check footbed lining, one of Repetto’s signature details, ties the collection back to its Parisian roots.
If the idea of balletcore feels a little intimidating, the collection offers an easy way into the trend. The Arizona pairs effortlessly with relaxed denim, oversized tailoring or a linen dress, while the ribboned Opéra sabot works best as the statement piece in an otherwise pared-back outfit. It’s balletcore without looking like you’ve wandered out of rehearsal.
As it turns out, Birkenstocks and ballet have more in common than anyone expected. Both were designed with movement in mind. The ribbons are simply the fun part.
The Birkenstock 1774 x Repetto collection is priced between R8 999 and R9 999 and is available exclusively from the Birkenstock V&A Waterfront store and online.
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