These Lidl-branded socks and sandals are the Czech fashion statement of summer 2020

Lidl-branded merchandise has quickly flown off Czech shelves, but a restock is promised soon

Jason Pirodsky

Written by Jason Pirodsky Published on 07.07.2020 16:40:00 (updated on 07.12.2021) Reading time: 2 minutes

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Fashionable Lidl merchandise via Lidl.cz
Fashionable Lidl merchandise via Lidl.cz

The Czech fashion accessories of summer 2020 have landed, though you might need to shell out a little extra to get your hands on them by the time you read this.

Yes, Lidl-branded socks and sandals have been flying off the shelves across the Czech Republic, and are currently sold out online. Keep your eyes peeled for a restock.

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The popular German grocer, which surpassed Kaufland last year to become the Czech Republic’s top-voted supermarket among consumers, has rolled out merchandise across select European markets heading into the summer 2020 season.

It’s not (only) a Czech obsession. In April, Finnish shoppers reportedly threw COVID-19 concerns to the wind as they queued up outside Lidl locations to get their hands on some branded sneakers, and emptied the shelves in minutes.

In July, they might be having the last laugh: those €15 sneakers are now routinely fetching upwards of €500 on eBay.

Last week, Lidl merch, which was also rolled out in the Netherlands, finally hit Czech shelves.

Bad news for fans of Lidl’s striking blue & yellow trainers with white midsoles: these sneakers are gone for good in the Czech Republic, with no restock planned. On eBay, these rare kicks are now being listed for up to 70,000 crowns.

We were outbid for this item shortly after posting this story
We were outbid shortly after posting this story; screenshot via eBay

But Lidl has swapped things up for their merchandise campaign in the Czech Republic.

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Lidl’s Czech localization is all about the socks and sandals, with shopping cart-riding models decked out in Lidl-branded socks and Lidl-branded sandals. It isn’t immediately clear if socks and sandals were even part of the Finnish or Dutch campaigns.

Lidl-branded socks run a mere 49 CZK, while the sandals retail for 149 CZK; at the time of writing, both are out of stock, though more inventory is promised to be on the way.

Even the Lidl-branded t-shirts (149 CZK) are out of stock on the Czech e-shop, which goes to show the power of the brand on the local market.

Corporate models unironically rocking Lidl merch via Lidl.cz
Corporate models rocking Lidl merch via Lidl.cz

While most of the merch is sold out online, you might be lucky enough to stumble into some genuine Lidl wear on your next visit to a brick & mortar location to pick up some discount Argus.

If that’s the case, you too can rock out on the beaches of Slapy or Doksy in style this summer.

Elsewhere in Europe, Lidl’s merchandise rollout plan is as of yet unknown. Shoppers from abroad have been hitting up Czech consumers on social media to attempt to get an inside track on the goods.

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In Ireland, Lidl has teased customers with the announcement that their branded merch might be available for the Christmas season.

“I like these,” one fan tweeted.

“They make a statement. Not sure what that statement is. Post-ironic, post-modern lockdown tripartite government surrender?”

While Czechs have long been ridiculed for wearing socks and sandals, even by Slovak police, it turns out they were persistently ahead of the trend the whole time: no longer considered a fashion faux pas, even Vogue is urging its readers to give socks and sandals a try in 2020.

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