Straw bags, espadrilles, hats... Why does raffia make a comeback every summer like clockwork?
From Yves Saint Laurent and Castañer to the baskets carried by Jane Birkin or Alexa Chung: an accessory that transcends eras
Summer serves a clear purpose: it is a time for rest and a pause--a time for holidays. It is a season for walking barefoot--or at least with feet exposed in sandals and espadrilles--for wearing less, and for living and feeling more. In this context, natural accessories serve as markers of a state of mind rather than a fashion statement. They are worn not merely because they appear in magazines, on TikTok, or in shop windows, but because they embody a feeling one wishes to experience. It is no coincidence, then, that these types of accessories transcend time and trends, remaining staples of the happiest Mediterranean holidays for the most stylish women. Wearing them somehow evokes the essence of summer and its wonders--*la dolce vita*. Icons such as the late Jane Birkin--with her rigid wicker basket--and Brigitte Bardot--with her oversized sun hats (recently replicated by Jacquemus)--played a major role in making these raffia pieces an essential part of their signature looks. Furthermore, a young, pioneering Yves Saint Laurent played a key role in the fame of these accessories when, in the early 1970s, he crossed paths with Lorenzo Castañer, a member of the renowned family of Catalan espadrille makers. Fascinated by the designs, the brilliant French couturier asked the Spaniard to create several espadrille models for his Spring/Summer 1971 runway show in Paris. It was something never seen before--and, naturally, a resounding success. The 1970s also saw the birth of Ibiza's "Adlib" fashion--popularized internationally by the Yugoslavian Princess Smilja Mihailovitch--which was characterized by fluid, white, handcrafted garments paired with espadrilles and baskets of all kinds. The motto of this Ibizan take on the hippie movement was: "Dress however you like, but with style." Today, espadrilles and baskets--made "cool" by celebrities like Sienna Miller and Alexa Chung, both heirs to the boho style that triumphed in the 60s and 70s--are a hit even in Hollywood. Royals such as Kate Middleton, Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, and Queen Letizia--along with her daughters, Leonor and Sofía--also love this footwear for their summer looks.
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Straw bags, espadrilles, hats... Why does raffia make a comeback every summer like clockwork?
