BaleArt FashionCrafts

Baleart Fashion Crafts is an initiative aiming to raise awareness and promote the ancestral craft techniques originating in the Balearic Islands linked to fashion, as well as the artisans who keep them alive and the designers who give them new meaning, thereby preserving this expression of Balearic culture and identity.  

The first action focuses on traditional country footwear from the four islands, four iconic designs, porqueres, avarques, espardenyes and espardenyes de lona, which project heritage into the future. This is proof that local craftsmanship not only endures as the ultimate expression of handmade luxury, but is also being reinvented through design, moving forward with determination towards tomorrow as objects of desire for new generations. 

On each island, we find traditional footwear techniques, indigenous models and ancestral materials that have stood the test of time, thanks to the passion of local artisans who have kept them alive, nurturing an industry of great value that is not sufficiently recognised. This type of footwear is made by hand, slowly, and therefore sometimes takes time to produce. All the designs have survived the passage of time, adapting their function and use, but not their form. They continue to evolve through new materials and proposals, always preserving their essence. Their simplicity makes them as versatile as they are sustainable, because there is nothing more sustainable than something that is not thrown away. 

At the same time, new generations are taking up these techniques and materials, applying design, creativity and innovation, and projecting them into the future of fashion. Through new designs and contemporary interpretations, the iconic character, presence and relevance of this traditional craftsmanship have been preserved in a market as competitive as fashion. The resulting pieces are not only rich in history and tradition but are also emblematic designs that have stood the test of time thanks to their simplicity, beauty and functionality. 

The first event will take place during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Madrid on 20, 21 and 22 March 2026, with a stand that, under the concept of Slow Mediterranean Shoes, will showcase the different traditional footwear techniques of the four islands: Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera.