Danielle Frankel and Birkenstock came together to celebrate their new collaborative footwear collection with a formal dinner held at The Eighty Six restaurant. The event took place on the evening before New York Fashion Week, showcasing the designer’s satin and pearl-embellished Birkenstock sandals, which were served on platters by waiters to highlight the partnership. The dinner provided a relaxed setting that encouraged guests to wear comfortable shoes, aligning with the theme of the collaboration. The Eighty Six, a new venue affiliated with SoHo’s The Corner Store, hosted a multi-course meal including dishes such as wasabi-topped pickles, steak, and tiramisu, creating an inviting atmosphere for attendees to socialize.
The guest list featured a mix of stylists, editors, artists, and models who shared discussions about upcoming fashion week schedules, weddings, and their longstanding preference for Birkenstock footwear. Danielle Frankel Hirsch, the designer behind the collection, noted that the six-piece line, featuring styles like Arizonas, Madrids, and Bostons, is intended for versatile use and not limited to bridal wear. She emphasized that the line reflects her own lifestyle rather than focusing solely on wedding shoes, mentioning how she plans to wear the sandals with casual summer outfits.
Among the attendees were stylist Carrie Goldberg, who praised the collection’s adaptability for wedding weekend attire, and fashion designer Ella Emhoff, who discussed integrating the shoes into daily wear. The evening also included several brides who had previously worn Danielle Frankel designs, such as actress AnnaSophia Robb, who attended in a silk charmeuse off-the-shoulder dress by Frankel and spoke about customizing elements of her Vogue-featured wedding gown.
Interior designer Augusta Hoffman, known for her wedding at Hotel Il Pellicano, fashion editor Rachel Besser, who wore a custom Danielle Frankel creation for her Chicago wedding last May, and a Vogue Weddings writer who shared remarks on the Collins gown worn by her wife were also present.
As the meal progressed, both Frankel and Jason Corvi, Birkenstock’s director of global communications for activations and special projects, delivered speeches and raised Champagne glasses to toast the collaboration. Frankel Hirsch described the partnership as a natural fit, highlighting the mutual appreciation that developed during the project.
The collaboration’s launch date is set for February 12, with the collection attracting attention for blending the comfort of Birkenstock with Frankel’s signature elegance. The event underscored the growing trend of combining style with functionality in footwear, particularly in the context of bridal and special occasion wear.
