Who doesn’t love an espadrille? Particularly the rather sublime toiles du soleil colourways of the Basque iteration of the iconic rope-soled cotton-canvas shoe. The soft nature of the jute and natural support in the sole make espadrilles the ideal choice for summer and tropical climates. They’re also light as a feather and a breeze to pack.
Based on the Gallic side of the Basque Country in the western extremities of the Pyrenees, straddling the border between France and Spain on the Bay of Biscay, family-run Bayona is a staunch proponent of using only 100 per cent natural materials to craft its shoes to the same exacting 130-year-old recipe it built the brand upon.
Originally founded in 1890, Bayona moved to Bayonne in the 1920s, a city located at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers just inland from the hip surf spots of the Atlantic Coast. In 1999, Bayona was bought by Pierre Larralde, a former employee of the company, when the original factory closed. He established a manufacturing workshop on the Spanish side of the Basque Country in a small village in Gipuzkoa, close to San Sebastian, from where he’s since strived to keep alive the longevity and authenticity of the Bayona espadrille.
The natural light-infused space in the quaint backstreets of Bayonne is the perfect kaleidoscopic space to while away half an hour or so to whittle down your summer footwear staples for the whole family. And Bayona’s espadrille mastery is not just confined to the flat-soled variety: in 2011 Larralde passed the baton on to his son Nicolas, whose keenness to preserve the unique know-how of Basque heritage to future generations saw him add wedge heels, moccasins and lace-ups to widen the brand’s portfolio. Keep an eye out for its recent collab with Paris-Stockholm sportswear brand Ron Dorff.
16 Rue Lormand , 64100 Bayonne, France; @espadrille_bayona; bayona.fr
Lee Osborne is creative director of Secret Trips
