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Espadrilles - Espadrille

Espadrilles are flat or high-heel sandals with a canvas or cotton textile upper and a flexible sole made of rope, jute or synthetic material styled to look like rope. This style of women's footwear is called an espadrille due to the woven rope look of the sole. As with any type of shoe, the upper will greatly differ for reasons of diversity in styling. Uppers made with plain canvas would obviously be more casual and would accessorize more diversely than an upper designed with a graphic print.

The term espadrille is French. Espadrilles were first made in Catalonia since the 14th century when they were made as peasant footwear. The recent widespread change to jute as a source for the rope material has centered production in Bangladesh; however there are still many traditional manufacturers in France, Spain and Italy.

The traditional espadrilles have a textile upper and laces that tie around the ankle to keep the shoe on the foot. Although the sole of an espadrille must be made to resemble rope, the style of the sole could be:

  • Wedged
  • Flat
  • Platform

Espadrilles look great with loose dresses, skirts and pants, as they are a very casual summer or spring style shoe. They are regarded as such due to their open construction. The shoe itself can be:

  • Open or closed toe
  • Open or closed heel
  • Slip-on

A Traditional Espadrille is always tied to the ankle by laces.