The Espadrille Wedge Edit: From Dolce & Gabbana's Riviera Dreams to the Art of the Warm-Weather Shoe
There is a particular kind of shoe that carries an entire season within its sole — literally. The espadrille wedge is that shoe. Woven jute underfoot, a lift that elongates without demanding, a silhouette that has graced the cobblestones of the Côte d'Azur since the 1940s. It is humble in origin and, at its best, absolutely magnificent in execution.
Right now, the espadrille wedge is having a moment that feels less like a trend and more like a reckoning — a collective acknowledgment that this is simply the finest warm-weather shoe ever conceived. And no one is making the case more spectacularly than Dolce & Gabbana.
The Dolce & Gabbana Approach to the Wedge
When Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana look at an espadrille wedge, they see a canvas. Their Floral Logo Embroidered Espadrille Wedge — with its exuberant DG blooms cascading across a white multi platform — is less footwear and more wearable botanical garden. It is the kind of Dolce & Gabbana wedge that turns a linen sundress into an entrance.
The house has long understood that the Mediterranean summer is not merely a season but a state of mind, and their shoe designs reflect that philosophy completely. The espadrille sole — that signature braided jute construction — roots even the most ornate design in something sensory and real. You feel the warmth of it.
Those searching for a Dolce and Gabbana wedge with slightly more understated drama will find it in their natural raffia silhouettes — logo-embellished, sun-bleached in palette, impossibly chic.
Explore the full Dolce & Gabbana Vacation collection →
Natural Raffia Logo Embellished Slide Sandal
Dolce & Gabbana — $825
Floral Embroidered Logo Leather Slide Sandal
Dolce & Gabbana — $845
Explore the full Dolce & Gabbana Flat Sandals collection →
Castaner: The Espadrille Authority Since 1927
If Dolce & Gabbana brings operatic flair to the espadrille wedge, Castaner brings its very soul. Founded in the Pyrenees nearly a century ago, this Spanish house essentially wrote the grammar of the modern espadrille — and then rewrote it season after season without ever losing the plot.
Their current lineup reads like a vacation mood board come to life. The Blaudi Metallic Espadrille Platform Wedge in gold catches light the way only something hand-crafted can. The Chiara Aqua Lace-Up Espadrille Wedge wraps the ankle with languid rope ties that recall every great Italian holiday photograph ever taken. These are not shoes you simply wear — they are shoes you arrive in.
Blaudi Metallic Espadrille Wedge
Castaner — $285
Chiara Aqua Lace Up Espadrille Wedge
Castaner — $205
Castaner — $200
How to Wear an Espadrille Wedge (and Do It Properly)
The espadrille wedge operates beautifully across the full spectrum of warm-weather dressing. A few principles worth keeping in mind:
- Let the shoe lead. A heavily embellished wedge — like the D&G floral platform — pairs best with solid, fluid pieces. Let the footwear be the statement.
- Lace-ups change proportion. The Chiara-style lace-up espadrille that wraps the ankle visually lengthens the leg, making it particularly flattering with midi hemlines and wide-leg trousers.
- Texture is everything. Match the natural, organic quality of jute with other natural fabrics — linen, cotton voile, lightweight canvas. The styling looks intentional rather than assembled.
- A wedge is not a heel. This is practical guidance: the platform distribution makes the espadrille wedge one of the most walkable elevated shoes in existence. Cobblestones, terraces, sandy boardwalks — it handles all of it.
At Lola Dré, we think of the espadrille wedge as the connective tissue of a warm-weather wardrobe — the piece that links a beach afternoon to a harbour dinner without requiring a shoe change. That kind of versatility is increasingly rare, which is exactly what makes finding the right pair feel so satisfying.
Explore the full Dolce & Gabbana collection →
