Spanish Heritage – Style

Espadrilles are one of the classic summer shoes. They can be found on the beach, in the city and, in principle, anywhere where it is warm and sunny. Classic espadrilles are lightweight closed-toe shoes made of cotton with a jute sole. We tell a short story of this accessory.

Espadrilles didn’t come about as leisure shoes, quite the opposite. The history of this model has more than 6 thousand years. The first espadrilles were worn in 14th century Spain, usually by the Catalans and Basques. The very word “espadrilles” comes from the Catalan word espardenyas – and it, in turn, became a derivative of the word esparto. Esparto is a type of Mediterranean plant that abounded in the Catalan and Basque fields. It was from this plant that the sole for espadrilles was usually made – reliable and durable, it faithfully served its owners in a hot climate.

Espadrilles were originally the shoes of the poor. They are easy and cheap to produce, they last a long time and do not require special care (unlike, say, leather shoes). These qualities quickly made the espadrilles popular in late medieval Spain. Initially, espadrilles did not look like we are used to: they were shoes with rough soles, to which the front and back were sewn on top, leaving most of the leg open. Laces were sometimes added on top so that they could be tied at the ankle.

Espadrilles left Spain in the 19th century. International trade “introduced” espadrilles to France – especially the French Pyrenees. Espadrilles also appeared in South America, where they quickly gained popularity due to the climate. In the first half of the 20th century, espadrilles became a symbol of free Basques and Catalans. In the 1930s, during the Spanish Civil War, resistance soldiers marched against the army of General Franco in espadrilles – at that time they became part of the military uniform. As often happens, espadrilles migrated from the military uniform to the streets of cities and became a trend. Salvador Dali, wanting to emphasize his Catalan heritage, often appeared in public in black espadrilles. Later, movie stars also paid attention to this model: Rita Hayworth (in the movie “The Lady from Shanghai”) and Lauren Bacall (in the movie “Key Largo”) appeared on the screen in espadrilles.

After the 1940s, espadrilles spread throughout Europe – they were especially popular in the summer. However, in the 1970s, Yves Saint Laurent breathed new life into the traditional Spanish model. The designer decided to introduce espadrilles into one of his collections. Then he turned to the Spanish shoe manufacturer, Castaner, and together they created a new model – espadrilles-heeled sandals (the sole remained traditional and was made of jute). This model has gained popularity among women, and many designers repeat it to this day. Today, espadrilles are one of the most universal answers to the question “what shoes to take with you on vacation?”. They are light, durable and meet all the rules of the resort dress code: espadrilles will be equally appropriate on the beach, on a boat or at a dinner in a summer cafe.

Ilya Petruk