Celebrity marketing once again proves its effectiveness. Espadrilles, historically medieval shoes of the Spanish peasants, and today fashionable textile slippers on jute soles, became the definitive hit of the 2013 summer after appearing on the feet of singer Beyoncé.
Sales statistics for the my-wadrobe.com online store in recent weeks show an increase in 88% increase in espadrilles purchases.
Emma Elwick-Bates, style director for American Vogue, believes that the reason for the boom in espadrilles is that they allow you to wear closed-toe shoes in the office and stay fashionable. The same could not be said about slates, the ubiquitous fashion for which even spread to offices and caused outrage among employers about such an unofficial dress code. In addition, espadrilles are in line with another global consumer trend - the transition from natural leather shoes to textile or eco-leather shoes.
The last time espadrilles were also popular was in the mid-80s, after actor Don Johnson wore them. The current fashion wave for espadrilles has risen after the presentation of Valentino's Spring / Summer 2012 collection. Now espadrilles are in the collection of almost all brands - from Asos and TopShop to Chanel and Christian Louboutin. And while summer trends tend to go out of style very quickly, espadrilles are likely to remain in vogue next year. Already, at the Spring Summer 2014 pre-collection shows, espadrilles have appeared in the Dolce & Gabbana showroom.
Espadrilles represent a transitional stage in fashion from ballerinas to sleepers, says Ruth Chapman, CEO of MatchesFashion.com, and advises buyers to also look at the soft velvet velvet slippers.
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