Finally, Actual Coastal Elite Birkenstocks

In the battle of coastal elitism, California is often crowned king. It makes sense, given the state’s beautiful beaches, sunny weather, and abundance of perfectly tanned people aggressively sipping green juice. But the times, they are a-changing, and the old-money extravagance of the Northeast now feels peak elite.

The Real Housewives set up shop in Rhode Island for a breakout debut season, and American Love Story gave us some incredible Cape Cod lifestyle porn in between scenes of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette fighting. Hell, even Nicole Kidman (and her wigs) decamped from the small Cali beach enclave in Big Little Lies to the New England-set Nine Perfect Strangers.

I mention all of this because Birkenstock, one of summer’s most essential shoe brands, just released a new collection in its premium Birkenstock 1774 line — named for the year the Birk dynasty began — titled “Northeast Providence.” And yes, it’s just as heavy on the regional aura as you’d expect, despite coming from a very German shoemaker.

The lineup includes breezy takes on Birkenstock’s mainline Boston, Arizona, Gizeh, and Naples silhouettes, plus the 1774-exclusive Sylt, offered up in earthy hues titled “Cinnamon,” “Midnight Navy,” and “Ginger Brown.”

The entire range feels made to be worn on a windswept shortline somewhere along the Northeastern coast, or maybe that’s just because the collection incorporates raffia alongside its usual Nappa leather and anatomic footbed. This isn’t the first time the straw-like, naturally sustainable material has been incorporated into a Birk, but within the Northeast Providence context, it feels the most on-brand; no other sandal out right now feels as fit for both the old glamor of Grey Gardens and the beachside vibe of The Summer I Turned Pretty. 

Birkenstock’s 1774 line has been on a hot streak as of late, rolling out perfectly aged Song for the Mute collabs and handcrafted Danielle Frankel bridal Birks (plus our own Becomes Berlin collab, made for puttering around the German capital). 

But the Northeast Providence line may be the first Birkenstock 1774 collection to actually make you feel like a wealthy elite in 1774.

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