ESPADRILLES are the quintessentially Mediterranean footwear, for it seems that during the summer months, they become the shoe of choice of European women everywhere from Andalucía to the Amalfi Coast. There’s something easy-going and chic about the artisanal canvas wedge espadrille, for the expert craftsmanship makes them not only comfortable to walk in, but a perfect accessory to any ensemble, from a simple white linen shirt for the beach, to a lace dress for the evening. While Spanish women prefer them with classic dresses and a straw Panama hat, Parisiennes will adapt them to their city lifestyle, with a pair of high-waisted jeans and dainty white top.
The first documented use of espadrilles was in the Catalan region of Spain in the 14th century, where they were worn by both men and women, made with laces to wrap around the ankle to keep the shoes in place. The french term espadrille derives from the Catalan word espardenya or alpargata in Spanish, and it was during the XIII century that the production of the shoes spread. The alpargateros or espadrille-makers were in charge of making the rope soles, while the seamstresses would sew the fabric and the band. The Spanish Castañer family had been producing them since 1927, however it is in the late 1960s when the shoe gained prominence and became reinvented to the latest fashions, when Yves Saint Laurent met Lorenzo Castañer at a fair in Paris and commissioned the first jute-soled wedge. And so, the classic summer shoe was born.
Parisian style icon Jeanne Damas manages to fit espadrilles to the Parisienne lifestyle, by pairing them with high-waisted jeans, a striped t-shirt, and a nonchalant attitude. Get her look with Castañer espadrilles, J-Brand jeans, a Burberry t-shirt, a Chloé shoulder bag, and a cubic zirconia necklace.
1 – MIH Jeans embroidered denim jacket, 2 – Chloé ruffled silk-chiffon mini dress, 3 – Byredo Gypsy Water and Tom Ford bronzing powder, 4 – Jennifer Meyer gold turquoise necklace, 5 – She Made Me triangle bikini, 6 – Castañer canvas wedge espadrilles, 7 – Dolce & Gabbana silk scarf
Images: 1, 4, 5, 6, 17 – Sincerely Jules, 2, 3, 13 – @neginmirsalehi, 7, 12 – @adenorah, 8 – @jeannedamas, 9 – Roposo, 10, 11 – @thisisglamorous, 14 – Glitterinado, 15 – @sabinasocol, 16 – Imgpin
