On the Spanish island of Formentera, where the sky is blue and the sea shines, you will find María Morcillo making traditional jewelry, called espardenyes. She could be busy, but not in a hurry, quite the opposite. Estrivancus, his company of three years, produces “sustainable fashion, made slowly and with love”.
Estrivancus shoes do not have wedges and are not made with canvas, only natural fibers and rubber; The upper parts are of a delicacy of cobwebby. “This shoe is very old and belongs to the culture of Ibiza and Formentera”, writes Morcillo from the island. Used by farmers for work, the shoes were not originally designed for street clothes, and nowadays they are considered part of the regional outfit. “When I was little, I remember that all older women used them,” says Morcillo. “They wore the typical costumes, with skirts up to the feet, where this beautiful shoe appeared”. Its popularity decreased with the arrival of prefabricated footwear in the market, a trend that this craftswoman is trying to reverse one stitch at a time. Craft, she believes, is “the new luxury concept.”
