Paez revolutionises the alpargata, but leather insoles are still key
10/08/2015
Paez is by far the smaller company, with a turnover last year of $9 million and 90 employees, but its traditional alpargata-style espadrilles are now on sale in 45 countries and it has three own-brand stores in Spain.
Founder, Francisco Murray, said in a recent interview with business media in Argentina that the factors he feels are helping Paez to become an international success are that it has stayed faithful to traditions in one sense and, contrastingly, that it has also introduced vibrant colours and designs to the shoes to appeal to young consumers, particularly in Europe.
Its commitment to tradition is most obvious in Paez’s insistence on using “the best Argentine leather” for every insole. This is the basis for the alpargata, with a cotton upper being stitched onto the leather and an EVA outer sole being applied to the bottom. But the leather insole is the key to the product’s comfort and relative durability.
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