Where were John Paul II's espadrilles from?

Do you know what comfortable footwear Pope John Paul II, Karol Wojtyla, chose for his nearly 27-year papacy? The Manchester espadrilles from La Manual Alpargatera, the historic shop on Carrer de Avinyó in Barcelona. Hanging on the wall is a framed photo of the meeting Joana Martínez and Francisco Tàsies—owners of the business for many years—had at the Vatican with their most illustrious client. Next to it are photographs of Jack Nicholson, Paco Rabal, Alfredo Kraus, Robert Englund, Michael Douglas, and a good list of celebrities who have worn Barcelona's most popular and best-selling espadrilles. Incidentally, Antoni Samaranch had the proud habit of matching the colors of his espadrilles to those of his polo shirts.

Asilde Sánchez, the current owner of the business, explains everything to me, and also gives us a crash course on the materials and manufacturing of such a traditional shoe. She continues the legacy of Joana and Francisco, her in-laws, who were the right-hand women of the founders—Emilia Martínez and Joan Olivé. In 2018, Asilde took over the reins of the business alongside her husband, Juan Carlos Tasias, who passed away two years ago. The business was founded in 1940, so it's been over eight decades of specialization, loyalty, and connection with all kinds of audiences. Also, of course, tourists. Otherwise, it would be understandable, considering its prime location, right in the epicenter of gentrification and mass tourism.

There's a very curious real estate peculiarity at La Manual Alpargatera. The business occupies the ground floor of two different buildings. One part is rented to a private owner who always offers them a deal, and the other part belongs to the City Council, with whom they have a concession agreement. Renovation is due in 2028, and they hope there won't be any problems. Joana Martínez, Asilde's mother-in-law, immediately began working in the store as the founders' right-hand woman. In fact, she was the one who made the first sale of espadrilles, at the local coal miner. For a long time, they were the kings of espadrilles, but recently, competition has grown around them. Other businesses have opted for this distinctive and unmistakable footwear, but they maintain one essential difference, which is their greatest asset: their in-house manufacturing.

For many years, the workshop was located in the same premises. Today, although they still have an area for touch-ups and repairs, the actual workshop is located in Horta. They can offer all types of models and colors, heights and shapes, and even custom special orders. And espadrilles for brides! The vast majority of the shops that also operate in this sector use shoes from abroad, such as La Rioja, which has a long espadrille tradition, and also from China and Bangladesh. A very high percentage of the store's stock is made in-house—approximately 90%. They also have some interesting details, such as the Ibizan shoes made by a local artisan; they only have 50 pairs for the entire season, and, of course, they run out quickly.

Handcrafted

In the past, La Manual Alpargatera also sold other brands, but there was a problem: "You can't 100% control their quality," explains Asilde. "We don't sell espadrilles!" laborious. Asilde's masterclass is fascinating. Which model do they come most often? Not so much from the neighborhood—for obvious reasons of accelerated loss—but certainly from Barcelona residents who change their footwear every year; and also, as we've already mentioned, from tourists.