From frumpy sandal chic to mainstream appeal: will Birkenstock IPO be a perfect fit?

Recent footwear flotations have not fared well but German brand hopes to buck trend with multibillion listing in US

It may be hard to believe but Birkenstocks were once seriously unfashionable, the go-to footwear of hippies willing to sacrifice style for arch support. Now those early adopters of frumpy sandal chic stand to be vindicated as the German shoemaker tries to bank its now mainstream appeal with a multibillion-pound listing.

But will this week's flotation in New York - which if there is strong demand for its shares could value the 250-year-old orthopaedic shoe brand at almost 8bn - be a turning point for a reliable make that has been loved by those in the know for decades?