Jason Momoa is known for playing fierce warriors, but the Hawaiian actor revealed tonight during the FN Achievement Awards that he likes to stay comfortable when he’s waging war.
While presenting Birkenstock with the 2020 Brand of the Year award during the virtual show, Momoa confessed that he’s a lifelong fan of the label’s shoes.
“Birkenstock has been pretty close to my family my whole life. I had my first pair when I was 13. I even met my wife, [Lisa Bonet], and she had them on,” Momoa said via satellite from Toronto, where he was filming season 2 of his Apple+ show “See.”
During the post-apocalyptic series, Momoa battles enemies left and right to protect his family, but he revealed that his secret weapon for fight scenes is the shoes.
“I make all of my shoes that I fight in and do stunts in out of Birkenstock,” he said, showing off his custom leather boots with Birkenstock soles in the bottom. “We take them and mold them, and depending on the character I play we build our own look based on Birkenstock.”
One of the boots, which was developed for season 2 of the show, had an extra-special feature: “You’ve got a knife-holder in there,” said Momoa. “[The boots] are very eclectic for the character I play.”
Birkenstock Group CEO Oliver Reichert accepted the Brand of the Year award from Momoa, on behalf of the company, which won over even more customers this year with its dedication to comfort and casual style — two trends that were sorely needed in this work-from-home era.
Reichert did acknowledge, though, that the brand has some critics out there. However, he suggested, “Even if you hate the look of our product, you may fall in love with our functionality.”
And he added that Birkenstock will continue to prioritize the health and wellness of its customers. “A big hug to Footwear News for this award,” said Reichert. “It gives us even more reason to concentrate on our core values, which really capture the zeitgeist of our time.”
For 34 years, the annual FN Achievement Awards — often called the “Shoe Oscars” — have celebrated the style stars, best brand stories, ardent philanthropists, emerging talents and industry veterans. The first virtual FNAAs are presented in partnership with The Style Room Powered by Zappos, and sponsors FDRA, Deckers Brands, Soles4Souls and Foot Locker.
