Business Finance Media Technology Policy Wealth Insights Interviews

Art Art Fairs Art Market Art Reviews Auctions Galleries Museums Interviews

Lifestyle Nightlife & Dining Style Travel Interviews

Power Lists Nightlife & Dining Art A.I. PR

About About Observer Advertise With Us Reprints

How Espadrilles Became the Ultimate Mediterranean Summer Shoe

With roots in Spain and the Pyrenees, the espadrille has evolved from practical working shoe to the unofficial uniform of Mediterranean summer.

As summer rolls around, there is one style of shoe you’re sure to see everywhere if you’re visiting anywhere in the Mediterranean: espadrilles. But how did this unassuming shoe become a staple for royals, actors and style mavens alike? And why is it synonymous with the sunny beaches of Spain and the French Riviera when its origins also trace back to the Pyrenees mountains? Let’s unpack that.

Sign Up For Our Daily Newsletter

Thank you for signing up!

By clicking submit, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge we may use your information to send you emails, product samples, and promotions on this website and other properties. You can opt out anytime.

It doesn’t take much to recognize that espadrilles, also known as alpargatas or esparteñas in Spanish, have humble beginnings. Though they now come in an array of shapes and styles, the one thing that connects all espadrilles is a sole made of jute or esparto rope, and usually a canvas upper. It was already known that espadrilles have been around for centuries, but in 2023, it was discovered that the oldest known pair of shoes in Europe was actually an espadrille. A similar 6,200-plus-year-old jute-soled sandal was found in a cave in southern Spain, less than five miles from the Mediterranean Sea, and was attributed to Neolithic farmers.

“Besides the Jesus sandal, espadrilles are among the oldest forms of footwear around,” Robert Ossant, an author and fashion historian, tells Observer. “The name comes from the Catalan ‘espardenya,’ which derives from espart, a Mediterranean grass traditionally used to make ropes and woven goods. The modern espadrille can be traced to the medieval period and is now widely associated with Catalonia, the Basque Country and southern France.”

Espadrilles have also long been tied to other Spanish regions, such as Aragon, Valencia, the Balearic Islands and even farther north, including Andorra, where there’s evidence of shepherds wearing them in the 1900s as part of their uniforms.

In the 14th century, espadrilles were the go-to shoes for farmers and peasants because they were inexpensive and versatile. Before the 1500s, the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) had already recorded mentions of “alparga” and “alpargates” in public records. In the 1800s, paintings by the likes of Francesc Galofré i Oller and Eduardo Zamacois Zabala depicted a more widespread use of espadrilles, with both children and adults wearing the shoes. By the next century, Spanish soldiers........

© Observer