Tropéziennes sandals since 1930
You wouldn't think it, but Les Tropéziennes have just celebrated their 93rd birthday! And they're still fashionable and up to date. These little shoes, originally from the south of France and soon to be a hundred years old, have a whole story to tell.
Essential shoes for 93 years!
In 1927, Dominique Rondini decided to launch a model of sandals made by hand. And this shoemaker, straight from Italy, had gold in his fingers. He drew inspiration for his work from the weaver Gustave Robert and the shoes of ancient statues. And so he decided to create a new shoe model. On a sole tanned with oak bark, he added leather straps. An iconic model was thus born: the Tropéziennes.
It was in 1930 in the small village of Saint-Tropez, renowned for its fishing, that the brand "Rondini bottier" created the sandal brand "Les Tropéziennes".
Here we are today, nearly a century and three generations later. The famous Tropéziennes of the Rondini family are still sold, all over the world. Each year, more than 13,000 pairs are sold, and they are still handmade.
Although Saint-Tropez sandals haven't aged a day, the small village of Saint-Tropez has changed a lot. Far from the fishing village of yesteryear, since the 1950s, Saint-Tropez has become a cult destination for the jet set from around the world.
The appeal of Saint-Tropez continues to grow, as does the success of the Les Tropéziennes brand. Thanks to films like "Les Gendarmes" starring De Funès and "And... God Created Woman" starring Brigitte Bardot, the brand is booming and now dresses many showbiz stars.
The Rondini Bottier boutique when it was created in 1927.
The democratization of Tropezian sandals since the 1930s
The characteristics of Saint-Tropez sandals are very simple. That is to say: a thin, flat sole, without a heel, all held together by sturdy leather straps. Since their creation in the early 1930s, Saint-Tropez sandals haven't evolved much. However, there are several types of models that play on the leather straps: symmetrical, crossed, toe-toe, etc.
Over the years, several brands have launched into the manufacture and marketing of Tropezian sandals, taking advantage of the model's success.
The JULES & JENN Tropézienne shoe manufacturing workshop in Florence, Italy.
In 1933, Jacques Kéklikian opened his Tropezian sandal shop in Saint-Tropez. This young 24-year-old craftsman lived in the same neighborhood as Rondini. Like Rondini's Tropéziennes, K.Jacques drew inspiration from Greek statues for his sandals, focusing on quality and simplicity.
What sets it apart? K.Jacques uses the customization of its Tropezian sandals to differentiate itself from its competitors. Whether it's leather, prints, or shapes, custom-made products are popular and propel the brand into the high-end segment. Today, you can expect to pay an average of €200 for a classic pair, and up to €550 for certain models.
Since the 1980s, the world has witnessed the rise of globalization and the internationalization of production. As a result, countless brands and retailers have launched into the production of Tropezian sandals. Moreover, these days, they are primarily manufactured in China or India. Leather has given way to plastic, and handmade production has given way to mass production.
And what about the Tropeziennes JULES & JENN in all this?
As you know, at JULES & JENN, our concept is based on slow fashion. In contrast to fast fashion, we offer products that are sustainable through their style and quality. So what better way to represent the values we hold dear at JULES & JENN than with the iconic Saint-Tropez bag?
Of course, we are not looking to imitate any particular brand, but rather to offer our contemporary version of this model which has become iconic over time.
The beautiful JULES & JENN Tropezian sandals are handmade. We decided to produce our sandals in Italy, in a small family workshop in Florence. And for good reason! Here, they have been working with leather from generation to generation for nearly 60 years. They are available in 4 different colors: black, blue, red, and pink. Finally, they are adjustable and, above all, comfortable thanks to their 5-hole straps and their finely padded smooth leather insert.
