Store Report: La Manual Alpargatera
It’s no secret that espadrilles are a summer footwear essential. It’s also no secret that at around twenty or thirty bucks, you can buy a cache of these and wear them to shreds without feeling guilty. The first point is what lead me into La Manual Alpargatera while in Barcelona this past weekend, and the second point is what drove me to buy three pairs, and Hollister to buy two pairs for every member of her family. For those unfamiliar, espadrilles originated in the Spanish Pyrenees, and La Manual Alpargatera is the go-to place for real-deal, hand-made espadrilles from Catalonia. Located in the Ciutat Vella Gotic area of Barcelona, La Manual Alpargatera has been practicing their trade since the early 1940′s, making the espadrille a staple of Catalan. With a shop that’s seen little change over the last 70 years, and a staff that’s probably been making these rope soled slips for nearly as long, it’s worth a visit even if you don’t want to stock-up your family with some summer essentials.
