A few weeks ago I discovered the most exciting little Shop in the heart of Valletta (South Street, right next to the Opera House) that had me dancing a little jig – an espadrille (xpadrille) shop, selling handmade espadrilles made in Spain using the original techniques that have been passed down over many generations.
I got in touch and met with Eric Donovan, the owner and brains behind this project. We met at the store and he showed me around and talked to me about these wonderful shoes and how the whole idea came about.
For a little bit of jargon history: although these wonderful shoes are classically Spanish, the actual term espadrille is a French one, however, it derives from espardenya, a Catalan word.which referred to a tough grass used for weaving the ropes that form the bottom of the shoes.http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-espadrilles.htm
These days espardenya is no longer used, the versions found in high street shops are usually made using synthetic rope but these found in Xpadrilles AATMalta are imported from Spain and therefore are hand stitched using jute, a natural fiber; this is the Spanish method and considered to be more robust and of course much more eco-friendly.
One of the best things about these shoes is that even though they feel super comfortable from the first moment you put them on, they actually adjust to your feet over time so they get more and more comfortable each time you wear them! Another interesting titbit is that contrary to popular opinion espadrilles can get wet, they just can’t be worn until they’ve dried thoroughly. Eric Donovan stated that he actually washes his in a washing machine, however, if you do try to wear them when they are still wet, then they’d just fall apart.
The most famous espadrille design is the original simple unisex one with the upper part made of cotton canvas and you can find tons of these in the shop, in lots of different colours and even in striped and denim designs!
Besides the simple, traditional ones, there is quite a range of different designs for both men and women. The largest size available for man is size 46 and for women size 42. In the case of the unisex designs it’s of course size 46.
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| One of the best-sellers from the men’s collection – aren’t these Italian-inspired, classic designs lovely ? |
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| For those of you who prefer wearing heels and are seeking something smarter |
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| These blue and white, nautical inspired pair are absolutely darling! |
If you’ve ever been to Madrid then you probably know about two of the most popular and long standing espadrille stores Casa Hernanz and Antigua Casa Crespo, Although I’ve never actually been to Madrid being the fashion geek that I am, I still know about theses stores and I was very excited to find out that Xpadrilles is selling some of their designs. The quality of these shoes is superb featuring a leather upper and inner area.
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| And for a really original and interesting pair found in the shop – the Maltese Cross design handpainted by Claire Farrugia |
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| Eric with his daughter |
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| Eric’s Footwear. |
We don’t have many speciality shops in Malta, shops tend to stock a little bit of everything here, but speciality shops are so much fun! Go check out this store ASAP and get yourself a pair of these lovely shoes. For those of you who follow the ‘Valletta is too much of a hassle to get to’ mentality, these shoes are also being sold from Mil Ideas in Tower Road, Sliema
You can also check out their facebook page and enter in their competitions!.
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