Choose Your Birkenstock x Song for the Mute Character

After years of finding common ground with Birkenstock, Song for the Mute has released its first collaboration with the German footwear brand

BY

Asri Jasman

Published: 25 May 2026

Co-branded T-shirts part of the Birkenstock x Song for the Mute collection are available exclusively at the Birkenstock store at Duxton, and online.
*(BIRKENSTOCK)*

Song for the Mute is possibly one of Australia’s most successful fashion exports with a cult global following. Founded by childhood friends Melvin Tanaya and Lyna Ty, the brand is known for collections fuelled by narratives exploring universal themes while experimenting with techniques and fabrics that are deftly executed. There’s undoubtedly a streetwear cachet owed to its collaborations with some of the biggest names in the space, but Song for the Mute is more than streetwear.

Collaborating with Birkenstock, however, feels a bit more personal for the brand. There’s a history there with Birkenstock being the footwear of choice for many of its lookbooks over the years. And there’s also this deep respect for a brand that prides itself on its functionality. To combine both their strengths, the Song for the Mute duo decided on four archetypes—The Gardener, The Artist, The Collector and The Rebel—for each of the designs of this collaboration.

We asked Tanaya and Ly to tell us more about finally collaborating with Birkenstock, and the thought process behind the concept. And if you’re wondering if there’s a favourite design, Tanaya tells us: “I’ve been really drawn to The Artist. I’ve been wearing them around the office since they arrived.”

The Collector with the Birkenstock Amsterdam.
*(BIRKENSTOCK)*

ESQUIRE SINGAPORE: How did the collaboration with Birkenstock come about?

SONG FOR THE MUTE: We’ve been styling our lookbooks using Birkenstock since the beginning. In 2011, for our first runway presentation, when we were awarded the National Designer Award, we styled with Birkenstock, so it’s always been a brand we’ve wanted to collaborate with.

When we were presented with the opportunity to pitch to them, we thought, ok, how would we do it? Knowing that Birkenstock has such a strong legacy, we decided to draw inspiration from their very first campaign. The campaign was fun, it transcended age and gender, showing different kinds of people wearing it; postmen, chefs, intellectuals and even kids. So that is where we started with the direction of the campaign, by forming distinct characters that could live in the world of our Birkenstock and Song for the Mute collaboration.

ESQ: What about the brand makes it the perfect footwear canvas?

SM: Birkenstock is grounded in function; they are everyday shoes, they are work shoes. And for us, we saw that as a story within itself and an interesting concept that we wanted to engage with through this collection.

The Gardener with the Birkenstock Super Birki 2.0.
*(BIRKENSTOCK)*

ESQ: What’s the thought process behind selecting these four silhouettes for the collaboration?

SM: We started our process by first forming the four characters and building out the world they would live in. We wanted to make them as believable as possible, so we chose models based on what would suit these characters and their settings. We picked the Super Birki 2.0 for the Gardener as the outdoor clog silhouette would fit what a gardener would wear. We even printed grass onto the inner sole to further add to the character. For the Artist, we landed on the London model. We wanted a soft suede shoe splattered with paint and aged with wear.

ESQ: The overarching idea of the collaboration is how these pieces are meant to function and live in the worlds of their archetypes. Were these archetypes based on people that you personally know?

SM: We created distinct characters that we could actually see wearing Birkenstock day to day. We felt that most people had a character to gravitate towards. If you like the outdoors, The Gardener; if you’re creative, The Artist; if you like to curate and archive, The Collector; and if you don’t conform to any of those, The Rebel. We really wanted to make these characters feel believable, and their story feel “whole”, and so we created accompanying jumpsuits and tees for each of the characters as a part of this collaboration.

ESQ: Song for the Mute has the honour of being the first collaborator to tweak the Birkenstock metal rivet. How did that come about?

SM: It was a very special detail for us, the fact that the rivet hasn’t been altered in Birkenstock’s 250-year history. It ties in really nicely with our Song for the Mute’s focus on building legacy. We really connected with Birkenstock’s focus on heritage, and so, we thought the rivet was a subtle final touch to add to each shoe that would honour that.

The Artist with the Birkenstock London.
*(BIRKENSTOCK)*

ESQ: What are some of the things you’ve learnt through this process that perhaps make this a unique experience as compared to previous Song for the Mute footwear collaborations?

SM: It was important to us to remain true to the construction of each shoe model as we wanted to keep their precise functionality. So we experimented with how the textile materials and shoe models we selected could interact to express the story of each character and their setting.

ESQ: Because Song for The Mute has had a history with Birkenstock, will we be seeing more collaborations in the future?

SM: This Birkenstock collaboration was a really big milestone for us; it was years in the making. So we’re excited to see where this collaboration takes us in the future.

ESQ: Song for the Mute is no stranger to collaborations. In your opinion, what makes a great collaboration?

SM: For us, it’s about choosing the right brands that can enrich the way we approach design. A collaboration that amplifies our design language and provides us with a new platform to share and evolve our story.