About Espadrille

Handmade Spanish Espadrilles, Italian Leather Sandals & A Family Story

It started with a simple question…

“If you can import timber, we can import shoes.”

In 2012, Chris and his wife Jane were looking for something surprisingly difficult to find: a beautiful, comfortable summer wedge at a sensible price.

Chris was already importing timber from Finland and Sweden when Jane suggested they look to Spain and Italy for the footwear they couldn’t find in the UK.

And so, with a good idea and plenty of enthusiasm, Espadrille was born.

A passion for Spanish craftsmanship

Chris and Jane travelled to Spain and Italy to discover how traditional espadrilles were made and, more importantly, to meet the people behind them.

In La Rioja, Spain, they met a family whose espadrille-making skills had been passed down through generations.

The welcome was unforgettable. They shared their knowledge, their passion for craftsmanship and, over a few bottles of wine and the best paella Chris and Jane had ever tasted, helped them place their first order.

That relationship became the foundation of Espadrille.

More than a decade later, we still work with the same Spanish family.

We continue to visit our suppliers, maintaining the personal relationships and connection to traditional craftsmanship that have been central to our business since the beginning.

Carefully chosen. Beautifully made.

We believe an espadrille should offer more than a distinctive jute sole.

It should combine quality materials, thoughtful design, comfort and craftsmanship — creating footwear that looks beautiful and feels just as good to wear.

Our collection brings together handmade Spanish espadrilles and carefully selected Italian leather sandals, including flat espadrilles, low and high wedges, elegant heeled styles and comfortable summer sandals.

We look for:

Quality craftsmanship.
Natural materials.
Beautiful colours and fabrics.
Considered heel heights.
Comfortable construction.
Timeless style.

Every style has to earn its place in our collection.

Chosen by our family

Espadrille remains a genuine family business.

Chris and Jane founded the company, and today their children are an important part of its continued success.

Chris works across the business, from our relationships with Spanish and Italian suppliers to selecting footwear, serving customers and picking and packing orders.

Jane remains closely involved in choosing the collection, with a particular eye for comfort, colour, style and the details that make a summer shoe special.

Emma, who has a degree in fashion, works alongside Jane selecting new styles, colours, shapes and heel heights.

James, a Chartered Accountant, looks after the financial side of the business. Someone has to make sure all that enthusiasm for shoes adds up.

Jake looks after the IT side of the business and keeps the website running and up to date.

So when you order from Espadrille, you’re dealing with a real family business, not a faceless marketplace.

Style matters. Comfort matters more.

From the beginning, we’ve believed that beautiful summer footwear should also be comfortable enough to enjoy wearing all day.

Whether you’re looking for Spanish espadrilles for a holiday, a comfortable wedge for a wedding, elegant footwear for a special occasion or an everyday pair of Italian leather sandals, we look for the balance between style and comfort.

Fit, materials, construction and heel height all matter.

So does how a shoe feels after you’ve been wearing it for hours.

A personal service

We’re proud to be a small, independent family business.

When you contact us about sizing, fit, delivery or choosing between two styles, you’ll speak to a real person.

When you place an order, our family team is involved in checking, packing and sending it.

We believe that personal service still matters — and our customers regularly tell us that it’s one of the things they value most about Espadrille.

We’re proud to have a 4.9/5 Trustpilot rating and more than 600 customer reviews, with customers frequently mentioning our comfort, quality, style and customer service.

Our story continues

What began in 2012 with Jane looking for a comfortable summer wedge has grown into a family business built around Spanish craftsmanship, beautiful footwear and a genuine love of shoes.

We still visit our suppliers.

We still work with the Spanish family who helped us place our very first order.

We still carefully select every style.

And we still get excited when a customer tells us they’ve found their perfect pair.

Beautifully made. Carefully chosen. Personal service.

That’s Espadrille.

Welcome to Espadrille.

Chris, Jane, Emma, James & Jake

The family behind Espadrille.co.uk