Espadrille
Two examples of the most traditional espadrilles of Spain, in standard cloth and herringbone | |
| Type | Rope-soled shoe |
|---|---|
| Material | Canvas or cotton fabric upper and esparto rope sole |
| Place of origin | Iberia |
| Introduced | 1322 |
Espadrilles (Spanish: alpargatas or esparteñas; Portuguese: alpercatas; Catalan: espardenyes; Basque: espartinak; French: espadrilles) are casual shoes with soles made of esparto rope. The upper is usually canvas or cotton fabric and can vary widely in style. They are usually flat but sometimes high-heeled.
Espadrilles are a typical form of Spanish summer footwear, with strong historical ties to the regions of Catalonia, Aragon, and the Basque Country. The word derives from the Catalan espardenya and refers to esparto grass, a plant indigenous to the south of Spain that is used to make ropes and basketry. Although they are still widely manufactured in Spain, some production has moved to Bangladesh, the world's largest jute producer.
Originally peasant footwear, they were popularised throughout the 20th century by many cultural figures including Picasso, Salvador Dalí and later John F. Kennedy and Yves Saint Laurent.