Espadrilles used to be an essential when packing for warm-weather getaways, from beach to boardwalk. But now, they are just as important for city dwellers and all manner of urban staycations.
“Jute is a natural fiber that is warm to the touch but cool in the heat, making it a traditionally ideal material for footbeds,” designer Penelope Chilvers said, citing her double-buckle pool slides as prime example.
Indeed, the seaside-to-sidewalk staple got a number of inventive updates for resort ’16 as designers from various segments of the market displayed their braiding skills.
For uppers, unexpected treatments and mixed media prevailed. Valentino versions featured tonal leather-stripe patchwork and signature pyramid studding. Stella McCartney tapped into fashion’s current penchant for head-to-toe denim dressing via a slingback style with embroidered flora and fauna, while Christian Louboutin printed an exotic toile with a jungle design for his slip-on version.
Elsewhere, there was laser cutting, such as at Via Spiga, rich brocade at Etro and even an evening espadrille from Jimmy Choo, which came with stone embellishment.
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Raised soles also cropped up. “Brazilian women love a good espadrille,” shared Alexandre Birman, noting his towering sandal with basketweave platform. “Elaborate weaving methods are ingrained our [local] traditional craft of shoe-making.” Fellow Brazilian designer Charlotte Olympia Dellal offered a six-inch wedge style fused with her canvas pump upper. And Vince included a chunky flatform in its latest collection.
Sports codes also were an important trend update, with Polo Ralph Lauren and Rebecca Minkoff showing high-top silhouettes. Soludos founder Nick Brown even released a low-court version inspired by his love of tennis and the market’s current obsession with clean white kicks.
“Having grown up in England on a healthy does of Wilmbledon every summer, it feels a tad nostalgic,” he said of his platform lace-up style. “It’s an iconic athletic design juxtaposed with the simplicity of our rope soles.”
Click through the slideshow to see more essential espadrilles for resort ’16.
