Ballet pumps have pirouetted back down the fashion runways in the past year.
The timeless ballet flat has consistently left and reentered fashion trends since it was first popularized as an everyday shoe back in the 1940s, and in 2026, the modern pump comes in endless forms — from the divisive Maison Margiela split-toe Tabi shoes to jelly-style flats.
The reimagining of the aesthetics of ballet in fashion has become so popular that the style has been dubbed “ballet core.”
Now, Birkenstock, the orthopedic sandal brand that has undergone an image rebrand from deeply uncool to fashionable, has offered its take on the trend with a new shoe collaboration with the heritage dance shoe company Repetto.
The collaboration balances Birkenstock’s trademark 1774 silhouettes with ballet-inspired colors and motifs that Repetto has been known for since 1947.
The collection introduces reimagined versions of Birkenstock’s Arizona, Scala and Opéra styles with delicate bows, buckles, ribbons and Repetto’s signature Vichy-check lining.
The Opéra style, sold at a premium price tag of $525, reimagines Birkenstock’s popular mule in blush pink, with a ballet-style bow on the toe and a long ribbon to lace and fasten at the ankle.
The Scala design, which retails for $555, features two dainty Mary Jane straps instead of Birkenstock’s usual suede buckle design.
Colors include matte baby pink and ink black, as well as patent leather offerings in black and cherry red.
Repetto was founded by Rose Repetto in 1947, who created her first dance shoes on the advice of her son, Roland Petit, in a workshop in Paris. Since then, the brand has become a trusted manufacturer for premium professional ballet shoes and fashionable ballet pumps.
Birkenstock, meanwhile, has traced its shoemaker roots back to the German cobbler Johann Adam Birkenstock, who was making shoes in the small German village of Langen-Bergheim as early as 1774.
Vogue and Elle have both predicted that the collaboration between the two legacy brands will become one of the year’s most wanted fashion items — and the products in the collection sold out within minutes when they released Thursday (July 16).
While some style connoisseurs have praised the blend of comfortable Birkenstocks with delicate ballet flats, others have been less convinced.
“This is my personality in a nutshell. I’m like a Birkenstock and a ballet shoe combined. Need!” wrote one fan on Instagram.
“Weirdly I am NOT MAD at this. Imagine finishing your rehearsals and wearing this, perfect,” said another. First time I’ve liked a Birkenstock!!!
“Am I the only one that hates these? I’m all for a cute ballerina-style shoe, but this is not it,” said one detractor.
Ballet flats don’t seem to be going anywhere — they were all over the spring/summer 2026 runways, with notable appearances at Celine and Gucci, and in May, Vogue declared “polished pumps” a “staple” for the season.
