this espadrilles It is an infallible and timeless garment that values both craftsmanship and history each summer, from being a humble shoe to stepping on the catwalks and dressing the feet of icons throughout history such as Dalí and Coco Chanel and now Queen Letizia or Jill Biden.
Its use in Mediterranean countries such as Spain and in the south of France democratized this shoe, which was also worn by soldiers during the Republican period. Civil war Spanish at a time when artists like Salvador Dalí or Pablo Picasso wore them in their workshops and also in some public places.
When Jill Biden, the First Lady of the United States, visited Spain with her husband on the occasion of the last NATO summit, she bought a pair of espadrilles from the firm. caster, emblem on such shoes. An ankle-strapped model would sell out in record time.
Queen Letizia isn’t alone in doing the same for much of her public appearances during the spring and summer months, when espadrilles, espardeñas, or espardils become a joker and avant-garde shoe. Although it has an origin tied to the Egyptian civilization, more than 4,000 years.
Made from natural fibers such as cotton or wicker and hemp or esparto baseThe first models of espadrilles can be visited in museums such as the Archaeological Museum of Granada, where you can see how this curved shoe indicates various cultures.
An evolution that will become combat shoes for the soldiers and navigating the glittering 50’s Hollywood and divas who covered their feet in espadrilles during filming: Grace Kelly a Audrey Hepburn or a Cocó Chanel who paired these shoes with pearl necklaces and sailor shirts during her stay in Biarritz.
The halo of the sophisticated and the avant-garde, Yves Saint Laurent In the seventies, he decided to reformulate this shoe in his own way, promoting the platform and putting it on the podium. Since then, this wardrobe staple has been updated every season with new models that coexist with timeless classics.
There are now as many models as there are styles and situations. “In our case high platform sandals and casual shoes are one of our star products,” they say, emphasizing the rise of “pleated and shiny” models from EFE, a craftsman firm specializing in reviving this classic as star shoes.
For this company, the key to espadrilles beyond aesthetics lies in working with traditional processes to create the relaxed endings that are the foundation of espardeñas. An endorsement shared by the craftsmen and historic shoemakers left behind at the top of the façadeAs with the Venetians.
“The Venetian nobility used them to receive guests in their palaces. They became known among gondoliers for being comfortable and non-slip, and became popular among all social classes in the 20th century”, explain their fair share of the firm popularized by supermodels. Kate Moss.
A way to bring shoes to the audience “no specific age” but remains wary of “fashion and the latest trends”. “Comfort keeps many people loyal to the product,” they add.