Retro & Vintage Shoes » Brigitte Bardot

Look Summer Chic in Flats!

Karla Manlangit — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 07:18:33 +0000

Following the ’60s- ’70s trend, wedges, platforms and clogs are this summer’s hottest trend. Realistically though, with all the expeditions we engage in this season, those lofty pairs could cause quite the strain.

Brigitte Bardot in trademark crimson flats at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival

Enter the Repetto flat. Created by Madame Rose Repetto in 1947 at the request of her son Roland Petit, a dancer and choreographer. Her flats went on to become an empire all on its own. Famous dancers like Baryshnikov used her flats but gained more popularity on the feet of Brigitte Bardot when she had a pair of crimson slippers made for the film, And God Created Woman. It became her trademark look and now we associate ballet flats with sophisticated French chic.

Brigitte Bardot is stylish in flats

This summer, take a break from the killer heels and platforms in these pretty retro flats. They’re not quite Repetto but they are just as lovely. Shop in them or stroll around the park. You’ll be comfortable as well as fashionable. Now that’s très chic!

Suede Elastic Top Line Flats, $55.00, Yosi Samra

It’s lipstick red suede! Reminiscent of Bardot’s flats, these suede beauties will go well with any outfit. Number one on this list, definitely.

Lillian Patent Ballet Flats, $195.00, Vera Wang Lavender Label

We love this latte-colored flats from Vera Wang’s Lavender Label because the light color suits the summer and is very dainty.

Flower Ballet Espadrilles, $150.00, Tory Burch

It’s a mix of ballet and the regatta. The metal flower at the vamp is a nice and feminine touch.

Dahlia Sequin Ballet Flat, $136.50, Alice + Olivia

For evening strolls and casual romantic dates. This flat comes in silver and black but we think the gold is the best one.

Odin Haircalf Pointed Toe Flats, $225.00, KORS by Michael Kors

How could you not put animal print in? Haircalf print is both stylish and unexpected.

All featured flats are available on Shopbop.

How the Espadrille Blew the Fashion World Away in the 1960s

Erika — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:30:24 +0000

Espadrilles, how we love thee:

Stuart Weitzman Fez in lily nubuck, on sale at 60% off at Shoebuy.com

AK Anne Klein Mancini 2 in natural/ivory fabric, $88.95 on Shoebuy.com

Madeline Salli in surt, $46.95 on Shoebuy.com

Brigitte Bardot single-handedly popularized espadrilles when she was photographed wearing a pair while romping around St. Tropez in the 1960s. (She also put St. Tropez on the map but that’s a different story altogether). But what few people know is that espadrilles have been around even before Bardot, St. Tropez and waaay before the 60s.

Brigitte Bardot in St. Tropez

Espadrilles have been made in Catalonia, Spain as early as in the 14th century. Castañer was one of the manufacturers in the area that produced espadrilles for soldiers, workers and peasants. Although the company had been around since the 1920s, they were badly hit by the Civil War in 1936. New technology such as vulcanization made their espadrilles production even more obsolete and by the late 1950s, they were on the verge of closing down. Nobody wanted to wear espadrilles anymore and people at that time preferred the newer shoe styles to the outdated espadrilles.

In the mid-1960s, a designer came to the languishing Castañer company. He asked them to produce a pair of espadrilles with a high heel. No one ever put a heel on an espadrille before so making a high-heeled pair was completely unheard of. Nevertheless, Castañer produced the high-heeled espadrilles for the designer. That designer was Yves Saint Laurent.

From there, the espadrille was catapulted from a lowly peasant-class shoe to luxury high fashion footwear. Castañer is now the premier maker of espadrilles and is one of the most prestigious brand names in luxury and fashion.

Such is the power of a creative mind. Espadrilles are now considered a classic wardrobe staple and with the wide variety of designs available, you can go from casual cool to summer-ready to date-worthy in no time.