CALZADOS GAIMO AND JOSE LUIS ITURRIAGA

Jose Luis Iturriaga was born in 1949 in Soto de cameros, a very small village in La Rioja, area renown for its famous red wine and its traditional craft skills.
His childhood years were difficult times in Spain as the country could not recovered from the recent Civil War.
Jose Luis had his first contact in the shoe bussiness at the early age of 16.
His family moved to Arnedo, a town with a long history of shoemaking, and where he was combining his studies with the work in one of those factories.
In 1969 Jose Luis moved to Switzerland. It were tough times in Spain and Jose Luis wanted to know other cultures and make money to build his own business.
After three years, he came back to Arnedo to get married and set up the future company of Calzados Gaimo.
During the 70’s decade, the historical and sociological changes happening in Spain,and the entrepreneurialism attitude of this generation help to Jose Luis and two friends to found a shoes factory.
In 1975, born the compan Calzados Gaimo.
The name is the mix of the three friend’s surnames: Galan, Iturriaga and Moreno.
This friends adventure lasted a short time, as it was not easy to create a new company and the economical resources were scarce. Only Jose Luis decided to continue with the company.

In 1978, Jose Luis started to run the company on his own and decided to especialized in the product of espadrilles. The kind of shoes have been produced in this part of Northem Spain
he discovered that shoes and especially the espadrilles he was making were very rewarding and satisfying for him.
Calzados Gaimo has now been 32 years. During this time Jose Luis and his family (Wife and four daughters) have been very involved in the company. They have lived his this project very deeply and they try to overcome in each collection.
The company has maintained a healty grown without interruption over the course of two generations.


BRANDS

Gaimo brand has always been associated with espadrilles, an artisan shoe made by hand, featured as a natural and organic product.
This brand evokes design, comfort and above all, own handwriting and orginality.

Gaimo was born to be a brand based on freedom but also encompassing comfort and creativity, indulgence when it comes to quality while using innovatie industrial an Artisan manufacturing.

The Gaimo brand is used for espadrilles collections. All shoes are made with natural and ecological materials, like 100% natural cotton, linen or the best quality leathers ‘free of chrome’. Always keeping the chic and fiminine image, and creating new colours and shapes in order to make happy our clients every season.

Our label ‘hand made in Spain’ add more value to our products as it is recognized and appreciated in many countries.

In general, the brand Gaimo is perceived by our customers as a product distinguished by sophisticated, natural and good quality designs.

Most of Gaimo espadrilles designs show urban and modern appeals. It may not have that fashion-forward look, but it can surely accent your spring and summer facade for the new season.

Canvas and leather material covers up the round toe with leather bow or flower details, giving this feminine look. Now to make it look more like seasonal footwear design, these Gaimo espadrilles are then finished with espadrille wedge heel and platform, lined in textiles, raffia or leathers.


ROOTS OF ESPADRILLES

Espadrilles are casual flat or high-heel fashion sandals originating from the Pyrenees (Spain). They usually have a convas or cotton fabric upper and a flexible sole made of rope or rubber material moulded to look like rope.
The term ‘espadrille” is French and derives from the Catalan name for the shoes ‘espardenya’. Espadrilles have been made in Catalonia since the 14th century at least.

Traditional espadrilles have a canvas upper with the toe and vamp cut in one piece, and seamed to the rope sole at the sides. Often they would have laces at the throat that would be wrapped around the ankle to hold the shoes securely in place. Both men and women wore early espadrilles. The soles of espadrillesmay be flat, platform or wedge shaped, and can be made of natural fiber or synthetic fiber rope. Thousands of varieties of espadrilles can be found, from inexpensive bargain brands to high priced designer bands.

The soles of espadrilles are now commonly made with jute rope or braid, which is favored because of its eco-friendliness compared to synthetic substances.
The natural bright white color of jute is a major design feature of modernn espadrilles. Jute soles typically include fully or partially vulcanized rubber beneath the jute fibre for long-lasting espadrille shoes.

These basic soles are then vulcanized underneath foam or wooden heels are glued in place and more jute braids are wrapped around it to complete the soles.
Manufacturing processes included both hand-stitched and machined production. But the most traditional way to make espadrilles is handy craft. The upper is stitched by hand to the jute sole.