CECI N’EST PAS A SHOE
Ceci n’est pas a shoe or when does a shoe stop being a shoe?
Starting from the tension between the everyday and the absurd, between the recognisable form and a new representation, a shift occurs that works as a premise for developing this game. Giving up the foot and its shape, and placing it in a territory where we no longer know exactly what purpose it fulfils.
Shoes appear on bodies, heads and structures without following any particular logic. The object remains recognisable, but its function ceases to be so, in order to display what it can mean as a thing, sculpture, mask, prosthesis, fetish, architecture, symbol or metaphor. This forces the brain to separate the object from its automatic cultural meaning and turn it into an aesthetic sign.
As with the Object Trouvé, often all you need to do is change its context and, above all, the way you look at it. Collage is very much present in the surrealist and Dada universe; Hausmann and his constructed heads, Yves Tanguy’s suspended spaces, Ouka Lele’s wigs and Lekuona’s photomontages. Schiaparelli, Brancusi, Dalí, Miró, Magritte or De Chirico.
The body, in some cases altered with masks, acts as a vaguely defined boundary between the human and the object, between body and artifact. When an object becomes an extension of the body and the body starts to look like a support for the object.
The settings follow the same logic: architectures in almost infinite spaces, without a recognisable place or time. An imagined territory, a character and a starring shoe. A set created with objects, models and handcrafted constructions, without attempting to conceal this origin, leaving evidence of the handprint. Throughout the set design, colour is the counterpoint that isolates the main object, separating it from its surroundings to bestow upon it an almost mystical presence.
The object does not change, we change how we look at it. Discovering what happens when we stop asking what it is for and start wondering what it might become.Meanwhile, a shoe can still be a shoe.
ARTISANS
Afertsoniccc
Aftersoniccc is a decorative universe, where intuition and experimentation guide the creative process, known as “accidentally designed”. This philosophy involves the creation of unique, timeless pieces. While mass production aims for uniformity, exact repetition and widespread increase, the non-replicable celebrates anomaly, artistic error and individuality.
The project came about between 2022 and 2023, in Madrid and Milan, as a practical and decorative procedure on damaged items of clothing, such as glasses and footwear.
Craft technique
Reclaimed, second-hand or broken pieces are transformed into avant-garde creations that straddle the boundary between sculpture and fashion.
With a strong focus on sustainability throughout the entire development process, waste is minimised and existing materials are repurposed to create new pieces.
Product description
Stone K Wedge (2024) is a piece inspired by the ancient art of stone carving, in the style of modern mysticism, where the open front (which barely reveals the toes and which, in footwear, symbolised the height of feminine sensuality) contrasts grotesquely with the medieval rawness and the Gothic script carved into the sides. Its colours allude to the different stages of bronze oxidation, displaying a dark, blue-green patina as a natural reaction to atmospheric conditions and the passage of time, in a work created using acrylic paint and rubber on found sandals.
Aldanondoyfdez
Aldanondoyfdez is made up of Ignacio Aldanondo and Catuxa Fernández. Both hold degrees in architecture from the University of Navarre and have practised in this field for twelve years, running their own office. They trained in the art of shoemaking for five years as apprentices to the master craftsmen Pitu Cunillera and Carlos Piñol. They have worked with fashion designers, such as Juanjo Oliva, Vejas, Carlota Barrera and Tiscar Espadas, as well as other designers, such as Jorge Penadés and Cristian Herrera.
Since 2018, they have been combining their work at the studio with teaching roles at schools, such as LCI (Barcelona), IDEP (Barcelona) and Barreira Arte y Diseño (Valencia).
In 2019, they received the National Craft Award in the entrepreneurship category, and in 2022 in the product category.
Craft technique
Shoemaking is one of the craft disciplines involving the most processes.
Whilst industrial footwear is produced by joining (mostly simply by gluing) prefabricated components, in handcrafted footwear each piece is shaped by hand and made to measure for the chosen shoe style. Sculpting rather than gluing.
The last, with its hidden reinforcements (the insole, counter and toe cap) is what distinguishes a handcrafted shoe from a factory-made one and what provides it with greater durability.
All these components are made from vegetable-tanned leather, cut and trimmed by hand using a knife. The sole and heel are also made from layers of vegetable-tanned leather.
Product description
The model presented here, Emmylou, tells the story of the “blucher” shoe style, highlighting the features that reveal the origins of this classic design, a type of footwear that emerged in the 19th-century Prussian army. Back then, it was common to attach gaiters to shoes, fastened with buttons and a buckle crossing the sole. The most distinctive feature of the Emmylou model is, undoubtedly, the buckle inspired by those gaiters.
Furthermore, the cut pieces intersect or overlap rather than being sewn together as usual, in a tribute to architect Alejandro de la Sota’s theory on the differences between “chemical architecture” and “physical architecture”.
Ball Pagès
Ball Pagès was established in 2014 with the aim of preserving and reinterpreting the traditional espadrille of Ibiza and Formentera. After learning the ancestral craft from the island’s female artisans, the brand brings this footwear of rural origin into the modern world, thus establishing a dialogue between tradition and modernity, nature and architecture, craftsmanship and design. At its workshop in Arbúcies, Ball Pagès creates unique, sustainable, handmade espadrilles and helps keep this craft alive by training new artisans. In 2019, it received the National Craft Award for Best Craft Brand from the Generalitat de Catalunya (Regional Government of Catalonia).
Craft technique
Ball Pagès espadrilles are entirely handmade using traditional Ibiza craftsmanship, reinterpreted and perfected in the brand’s workshop. The process includes the manual weaving of the “cordelli” fibre, the preparation and numbering of each pair, the hand-assembly onto jute soles, the manual weaving with vegetable fibre cord, the manual application of colour – where appropriate – and shaping on wooden lasts. Finally, each piece is polished and inspected individually. The process requires sensitivity, precision and patience, turning each piece into a unique item.
Product description
Home is Ball Pagès’ most essential and iconic model. Its formal origin lies in the traditional “men’s espadrilles” worn by the dancers of the country dance (ball pagès in Catalan) of Ibiza and Formentera. The piece preserves the simplicity and character of this ancestral footwear but updates its construction to suit modern life. The model is hand-assembled and woven with vegetable fibre cord and features a high-strength leather lacing system. The jute sole is protected by a thin leather base and a TPU heel reinforcement, a combination that provides durability, flexibility and comfort.
Beneath its austere and timeless appearance, Home conceals a technically complex manufacture and synthesises the essence of Ball Pagès: tradition and modernity, the countryside and the city, craftsmanship and design.
Castañer
Established in 1927, Castañer has transformed the traditional espadrille into a sophisticated shoe linked to international design. Its track record is marked by milestones, such as the creation of the first wedge espadrille in the 1970s by Yves Saint Laurent. In 2027, the label celebrates its 100th anniversary, staying true to its essence, natural materials and the perfect union of heritage, modernity, innovation and craftsmanship.
Craft technique
The finest natural jute is selected, woven on historic machines, and the plait is hand-shaped on a special board to take the shape of the foot. It is then sewn with the brand’s exclusive machine to compact it. The rubber is die-cut to the exact size and fused to the jute sole using heat and pressure, thus ensuring maximum strength and durability. The heel counter is woven on traditional looms using linen and cotton. Finally, the shoe upper and the sole are joined together with a stitch that, on many models, is still done by hand, thus preserving the artisan tradition.
Product description
The Fabiana sandal is crafted from braided and embroidered natural raffia. It features an ankle strap for optimal support and a padded insole that ensures maximum comfort. The design is completed with a 13 cm wedge and a matching lined platform.
Evarist Bertran
After a few years working in the audiovisual industry, in 2009 Roger Amigó turned to his other passion and opened a shoe shop on Cotoners Street in Barcelona’s Born district. First, he sold the Californian brand Cydwoq, beautiful handmade shoes from Los Angeles, but fate had other plans for him and Nicoló di Paola, a Venetian master artisan, opened a shop in Banys Vells, just 50 metres away.
They soon became friends; he asked him to be his apprentice and spent a couple of years making shoes with him. This is how he began to exhibit his own designs and get his first commissions. He named his shoes after his grandfather, EVARIST BERTRAN, who is an ongoing source of inspiration.
He soon attracted the interest of the Nordic fashion designers Atelier Aura and Aleksandr Manamis, who commissioned him to make shoes for their collections. These collections were presented at Paris Fashion Week, where buyers from shops all over the world discovered his work. 15 years on from this start, Roger is still on Cotoners Street selling his shoes, establishing enriching partnerships and selling to some beautiful shops around the world, especially in Japan.
Craft technique
EVARIST BERTRAN shoes are made using the Goodyear construction method, a technique that involves joining the shoe’s components – the upper (leather), the insole (leather footbed), the welt (a narrow strip of leather that encircles the shoe) and the sole – using two separate seams.
The first stitch (or tack) joins the upper, the welt and the insole with a hidden inner seam. The second stitch (welt stitch or dotted stitch) joins the welt to the sole. In this case, they add a second nailed leather sole which protects the sole seam and provides the shoe with a more robust profile. To make them, they work with vegetable-tanned horse hides from Tuscany and buffalo leather soles from tanners in Igualada.
Product description
The piece on display is the EB2 model, a straight-cut derby which, in this case, is mounted on a 4.5 cm curved heel. It is made from black-dyed and washed horse rump leather.
La Manual Alpargatera
La Manual Alpargatera was established in Barcelona in 1940 and is one of the city’s historic artisanal establishments dedicated to making espadrilles. Since its inception, it has kept the traditional espadrille-making craft alive, thus preserving artisanal techniques that are part of Mediterranean and Catalan culture, while evolving its models, designs and materials.
Located on Avinyó Street in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, La Manual Alpargatera has maintained a production process for over eight decades in which manual labour continues to play an essential role.
Craft technique
It is based on the traditional espadrille construction. The process includes several specialised stages, from cutting and preparing the fabrics to shaping the upper, assembling each piece onto the sole and stitching the fabric to the base.
This process is still carried out by hand, thus preserving the knowledge and moves of the traditional espadrille-making craft. Each pair then undergoes finishing and inspection processes before being considered complete.
Product description
The Valls is a traditional model of Catalan espadrille, closely linked to the country’s traditional attire. It is also the model worn by the Catalan police with their dress uniform, with espadrilles handcrafted by La Manual Alpargatera.
One of its most distinctive features is the lacing system. Each espadrille incorporates approximately four metres of lace per foot, which is passed fourteen times: seven on the right side and seven on the left, following the traditional way of tying this model. It can be laced up in a single colour or by combining two.
It is a particularly representative piece of traditional Catalan espadrille-making, both for its construction and the specific way it is worn and tied. It is also an example of the continuity of a traditional design that La Manual Alpargatera continues to craft by hand.
Mates
The label was established in 1947 by Francesc Mates, a young athlete who began creating bespoke footwear for high-level competition. Thanks to ongoing contact with elite athletes, it became the go-to brand for athletics and handball for decades. At present, from the Sants neighbourhood of Barcelona, they continue to offer the same historic legacy, now adapted for urban footwear.
Craft technique
All products are handcrafted in the historic family workshop under the direction of master shoemaker Myrna Mates. The process is characterised by a highly careful selection of quality materials, meticulous attention to detail at every production stage and a high degree of craftsmanship that guarantees maximum comfort and durability.
Product description
The Myrna Classic, a versatile trainer originally created in 1958 by Francesc Mates in honour of his daughter’s birth. This historic piece features a reinforced structure at the toe and heel, as well as an innovative cushioning system with perforations in the sole and dual-density EVA midsoles.
Norman Vilalta
Norman Vilalta is a master shoemaker and designer, originally from Argentina and based in Barcelona. Before dedicating himself to shoemaking, he worked as a lawyer in Argentina. Driven by a desire to work with his hands and create, he left his legal career behind to learn the craft of artisanal shoemaking, training with master shoemakers in Florence. In 2004, he established his own workshop in Barcelona.
His work blends traditional artisanal shoemaking techniques and an ongoing search for new forms of expression. At his workshop in Barcelona, Norman designs and makes shoes that explore the balance between tradition, experimentation and a unique identity, while understanding the craft not only as a technical execution, but also as a form of creation.
Craft technique
Norman Vilalta’s work is based on traditional artisanal shoemaking techniques, in which much of the process is carried out by hand: from design development and pattern cutting to assembly, construction, finishing and the final patina.
However, technique is understood as a starting point and not an end in itself. Knowledge passed down through generations allows for experimentation with materials, tools and processes, thus ensuring each piece preserves the traces of its making and expresses an idea of its own. Irregular features, the passage of time and human intervention are part of the finished object’s nature.
Product description
Norman Vilalta’s shoe Wabi Sabi Oxford celebrates the beauty of imperfection and the passage of time. Its vamp is made of raffia, a material that was chosen to evolve with wear and create a unique patina. Rather than seeking perfection, the design embraces wear and tear as part of its own creation.
This piece is part of the 13 Collection and was designed based on a personal challenge: What can a craftsperson create if they reduce their resources to a minimum? To achieve this, Norman worked in Majorca with only thirteen tools, simple lines and a minimalist pattern. The result is an essential shoe, almost “the shadow of a shoe”, which was created in a simple environment where nature, constraint and creative freedom are an inseparable part of the piece and of the collection’s philosophy.
Roig Vilaró
Roig Vilaró (Vic, 2002) is a product designer from Tona who specialised in footwear following a stay in Norway. Trained at the Vic School of Art, he won a scholarship to study at IED Barcelona, where his graduation project, Apunt, received the award for Best Product Design Project and an honourable mention in the 2025 Ecodesign Award. He has partnered with local artisans and brands, notably the FKK9 project with Florentine Kitchen Knives, exhibited at Il·lacions Design Gallery and the Design Hub. He subsequently completed a Master’s Degree in Footwear Design at the Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti in Milan, graduating with distinction and high marks. He currently works as a freelance product designer, guided by curiosity and the pursuit of beauty.
Craft technique
His technique is based on an exhaustive exploration of tradition and usefulness, the ongoing observation of ecosystemic narratives (social, economic and environmental), the regular collaboration and inspiration from the artisans, experts and professionals around him, and the ongoing refinement of their use of design and digital manufacturing tools. All of this aims to produce better products and build an optimistic legacy through design.
Product description
Apunt is a modular, interchangeable and inclusive footwear concept that merges tradition and the future to reduce the carbon footprint. The project optimises manufacturing, reducing it from 65 conventional pieces to just five, using local additive technology (3D printing and weaving) with 100% recycled or organic materials. Thanks to its dismantlable and repairable design, it ensures the circularity of its components and allows for orthopaedic customisation. Ultimately, Apunt embraces the heritage of tradition to offer a more sustainable industry and a more democratic business model.
Fermin&Gilles – Curator
Biel Capllonch – Photography and Art Direction
