How a music video visionary is reimagining the Birkenstock Boston
The director and creative force behind Lyrical Lemonade, Cole Bennett, talks music, creativity and building his dream Birkenstock
When it comes to creating an unforgettable music video, Cole Bennett is something of a visionary. The creative force behind Chicago-based record label and multimedia platform Lyrical Lemonade, Bennett has played a pivotal role in shaping the visual language of SoundCloud rap, directing videos for artists including Jack Harlow, Central Cee and 21 Savage.
Now, he’s turning his creative eye towards Birkenstock, creating his own take on the iconic Boston silhouette as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations. And, in true Bennett fashion, he’s bringing the collaboration to life with a campaign film. “I knew I wanted to create something with meaning. Something that I could look at as an adventure,” he says.
First introduced in 1976, the Boston has long served as a canvas for creative expression. Through Bennett’s lens, tactility takes centre stage. The classic silhouette is reimagined in soft white wool felt, designed to evolve and take on a life of its own with wear, alongside a microfibre lining and the brand’s signature cork footbed.
“The shoe is meant to be interacted with. These are my good luck charm, and I hope others have that same connection” – Cole Bennett
The finishing touch is a custom crescent moon buckle in antique dark copper, a signature detail that gives the design a distinctly personal touch. “These are my good luck charm, and I hope others have that same connection.” For Bennett, the design is personal in more ways than one. “My dog is also named Moon, and she’s a fluff ball. These are kind of a love letter to her as well. So I guess the shoes have a few different meanings to them.”
This personal approach extends to the campaign, which stars Bennett alongside his grandfather. In the accompanying film, Bennett is seen carefully pruning a bonsai tree, a quiet, contemplative ritual that mirrors his own creative process and the tactile experience of creating his dream Boston.
“When the first samples of the Birkenstock came in, the wool was a little long. So I began to trim them without even thinking about it. Then I realised how relaxing it was to do, and that this could be a way to present the shoe to the world.”
The film also marks a return to Birkenstories, the award-winning documentary series Bennett first collaborated on with Birkenstock in 2018. This time, the story is told between Chicago and his hometown of Plano, Illinois, bringing his creative journey back to the places that shaped it.
“I know it sounds cliché, but [Chicago] really taught me how to tell stories. It’s really just being exposed to so many different worlds in one, and finding a way to make your own universe out of it. I see Chicago in everything I do and see. It has a special way of showing up everywhere.”
“The only way to survive is to innovate and own the narrative you’re creating” – Cole Bennett
For Bennett, the collaboration is a natural continuation of his long-standing relationship with the brand. His first Birkenstories appearance explored the personal connections people form with their Birkenstocks. Now, he’s taking that idea one step further, creating a pair that tells his own story.
“Trends are more fleeting than they’ve ever been,” he says. “The only way to survive is to innovate and own the narrative you’re creating. You have to really live and breathe what you do. Not everyone is willing to do that, but the ones who are will find success in their own right. Passion fuels the soul. I say that all to say, I’m very excited about where things are headed. I’m ready for it all.”
The Birkenstock by Cole Bennett collaboration launches on 1 October on 1774.com and bycolebennett.com.