Espadrille

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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	Spain and France
Introduced	1322

Espadrilles (Spanish: alpargatas or esparteñas; Catalan: espardenyes; Basque: espartinak, French: espadrilles)^[1] are casual, rope-soled, flat but sometimes high-heeled shoes. They usually have a canvas or cotton fabric upper and a flexible sole made of esparto rope. The esparto rope sole is the defining characteristic of an espadrille; the uppers vary widely in style.

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.^[2] Although they are still widely manufactured in Spain, some production has moved to Bangladesh, the world's largest jute producer.^[3]

Originally peasant footwear,^[4][5] they were popularised throughout the 20th century by many cultural figures including Picasso, Salvador Dalí and later John F. Kennedy and Yves Saint Laurent.^[6]