Castañer

Planning to shop at Castañer in Europe? This comprehensive guide shows you exactly how to maximize your VAT refund savings, where to find Castañer stores across Europe, and insider tips to get the most money back on your purchases.

Castañer's heritage stretches back to 1776, when Rafael Castañer—the family's first espadrille maker—was born in Catalonia. The brand's modern chapter began in 1927, when Luis Castañer and his cousin Tomás Serra founded their first workshop in Banyoles, a small Catalan town where espadrilles had been handcrafted for centuries. During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), the Republican government nationalized Castañer because espadrilles were considered "products of military interest"—a testament to their cultural significance. In the early 1970s, Isabel Castañer met Yves Saint Laurent at a Paris trade fair, and when the legendary designer mentioned he was looking for someone to create a wedge espadrille, she seized the opportunity. Castañer created the first-ever wedge espadrille for Yves Saint Laurent's collection in the 1970s, transforming the humble Spanish shoe into a fashion icon. By 2025, nearly 100 years after its founding, Castañer remains family-owned, with each espadrille still handcrafted using traditional techniques. Queen Letizia of Spain famously wore nothing but Castañer wedges for an entire week of public engagements in Mallorca and Menorca in 2016, cementing the brand's status as Spanish royalty.