Birkenstock Blank Canvas Project
London | 2025
Birkenstock Blank Canvas Project
Reimagining the iconic sandal
Studiomama was invited to participate in Birkenstock’s Blank Canvas project, an initiative that invites designers to reimagine the iconic Birkenstock sandal through their own lens. Developed in collaboration with the Crafts Council, the project reflects a shared commitment to supporting craftsmanship and material exploration within contemporary design.
Heritage meets playful design
For our contribution, we designed three customisations of the Birkenstock Utti shoe, focusing on material honesty and simplicity while bringing a sense of warmth and tactility to the design. Using offcut leather materials and a clear, minimal language, we explored how the familiar silhouette could be recontextualised to reflect the bold, colourful, and playful nature of Studiomama.
To showcase these explorations, we created a window display that highlighted the materiality and thoughtful details of each customisation. We also led a public workshop using offcut leathers inspired by our design process, encouraging hands-on making and experimentation while celebrating the value of craft and material reuse.
The result is a project that honours the heritage of Birkenstock while expressing Studiomama’s commitment to a thoughtful, material-driven approach, where everyday objects are designed to be lived with, valued, and enjoyed over time.
CLIENT: Birkenstock
DESIGN: Studiomama
PHOTOGRAPHY: Studiomama