In 2019, the Duchess of Cambridge (Kate Middleton) added a new wedged shoe to her wardrobe, the Castañer Carina canvas espadrille.
The Duchess wore the wedged shoe to four different engagements between May – July 2019.
Each time, she paired the wedge with a midi or maxi length statement dress. This resulted in a fresh, modern look.
The Duchess continued to wear the shoe throughout 2020. Here’s Kate at the launch of ‘Tiny Happy People’ in July.
About the Castañer Carina Wedge Espadrilles:
The Carina wedge is part of Castañer’s Icon collection. The company sell the wedges in a range of different colours and fabrics. They also provide lots of different heel heights between 5cm – 11cm. Kate wears the 8cm style with a light brown suede vamp, insole and ankle ties.
The wedge, platform and toe are made from jute while the heel cup is made from cotton.
Buying Kate’s espadrilles wedges:
Unfortunately, Kate’s exact style appears to have sold out. But Net-A-Porter stocks a range of colours on their website.
About Castañer:
Castañer’s heritage can be traced back to the 1700s when Rafael Castañer, the family’s first espadrille maker, was born. Almost two hundred years later, Luis Castañer and his cousin Tomàs Serra founded the brand’s first workshop.
In the 1930s, Spain’s government nationalised the company because espadrilles were regarded as a product of military interest! Soldiers were sent to war wearing “seven-ribbon espadrilles” — at that point famous for their blend of durability and comfort.
In the 1960s, the business transferred to Lorenzo Castañer and his wife Isabel, who refocused the business. The pair decided to play with the shape of the espadrilles and add a bit of colour. The pair sought new clients from the world of fashion.
It was at a trade fair in the 1970s that Yves Saint Laurent spotted the espadrilles. He’d spent months looking for a company to make wedged espadrilles. The two companies collaborated and Castañer grew in prominence.
Today, the brand continues to hold a privileged position in the fashion world as the official espadrille maker for fashion labels including Chanel, Tom Ford and Hèrmes, among others.
Castañer now has shops around the world, including Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Singapore.
(Source).
