This brand is selling ‘Birkinstocks’ for £55,000

The shoes are made from material taken from one of the world's most expensive handbags

(MSCHF/Instagram)

Birkenstocks are perhaps some of the most contentious contenders in the footwear world, rivaling Crocs for the ugliest-shoe crown.

But the open-toed, double-strapped sandals that were once synonymous with orthopedic support shoes have made a surprising comeback among millennials and Gen-Z shoppers, as fuelled by the "normcore" trend.

But the latest iteration of the shoe is likely to be well above their budgets.

The Brooklyn-based art collective MSCHF has launched its own unofficial version of the Birkenstock shoe, renaming it the "Birkinstock".

The shoes were made by destroying a classic Hermès Birkin bag, one of the most expensive and famous accessories in the world (prices can go up to £144,000) and using its material to replicate the design of the iconic strappy sandals.

The shoes are not officially affiliated with Birkenstock or Hermes, but retail for £55,000 ($76,000).

Commenting on their new creations, MSCHF said in a statement: "Materials derive value from their place in history and culture.

"Historically we make luxury objects out of inherently valuable materials.

"Gold and jewels are perennial favourites, but rarely speaks a language of its own: in the 1800s when aluminium was exotic and new, the bourgeois aristocrats of France prized their flimsy, inconvenient, aluminium cutlery more than their antique silverware.

"Today, Birkin bags appreciate with an average 14 per cent annual return, consistently beating the S&P 500 - by this metric, just as gold, though shiny, is no longer the basis of currency, we can look to the Birkin bag itself as the new luxury raw material par excellence".

The shoes are only available on a made-to-order basis, with MSCHF stating they only bought four Birkin bags to make the shoes from.

However, some famous faces have already been seen wearing them, including the rapper Future and the singer Kehlani.

The Independent has contacted Hermes and Birkenstock for comment.