Simon: Hi Lucas, what the hell have you got on your feet?
Lucas: These are jellies, jelly sandals.
Sounds like a weird children’s sweet. What are they made of?
Plastic, but they’re actually a very traditional shoe, you should like them.
Traditional? Like how old?
The company that made these started in 1946, so not far off your precious 1930s style and all that jazz. They’re a French company called Méduse, and at the time people were using plastic as an alternative to leather because it was scarce after the Second World War.
So people wore these instead?
Well they were a beach shoe, a leisure thing. They were called sun sandals or sunchanvre. There were lots of PVC sandals but this model became famous and it was quite distinctive – the braided straps, the spiked sole.
When did you first wear them?
They’re a nostalgic thing for me because I was given them to wear on holiday in France when I was growing up. They were cheap and easy and good for kids, and every beach shop sold them.
I think that’s one reason they’ve become popular again recently – Ghiaia now sell them for example, and brands like The Row have made them fashionable for women again too.
Did they have waves of popularity in the past?
Oh yes, there was a thing in 1960s, and in the 1980s. In the US apparently they became popular in the 1980s after large numbers were imported from Brazil. The Dude wears them in The Big Lebowski, which is a pretty strong endorsement. There’s even a brand that specifically sells clear ones in order to look like him.
But you like these from Méduse?
Yeah it took me ages to find a good brand when I was looking a few years ago, but a friend turned me onto Méduse. Other people make them – Plasticana has them for example, and you see those in quite a few shops.
But Méduse has a really big range and always seems to have sizes. They make a lot of things in France but these are made in Morocco, and they’re only €18.
Eighteen euros!! I could buy 819 pairs for the price of a Liverano coat.
Well quite.
So when do you wear these?
On a pebbly beach they’re very practical. It’s a traditional sea shoe basically – you can wade in across all those nasty stones.
Yeah that makes sense, we go to those types of beaches in Portugal, particularly river beaches. And the other sea/beach shoes look a little silly. But where else? That’s pretty niche even if they are only €18.
Well to Pitti obviously, but that was just to make people angry.
You do like doing that.
I really do.
Where else?
Basically on holiday where other people might wear sandals. I don’t like flip-flops, I like something that stays on my feet. And the advantage of the plastic is that I can get them wet, they’re hardy, much more so than a leather sandal or an espadrille.
And with anything smarter?
Occasionally – as with the vintage Armani trousers (pictured top). But that’s the exception. Though if I do wear them to dinner on holiday I feel more dressed up than someone in flip-flops, and probably in open-toed sandals as well.
They’re also a nice bit of colour – a fun accessory. And they’re cheap so you can have more than one.
What colours do you have?
I have navy and this colour, hemp.
Why does it look like there’s stuff floating in them?
That’s the hemp (chanvre), it’s one of the original makes and it has a nice, natural-looking quality to it.
It does, you’re right, I’m starting to be convinced.
Well, you should also know that the PVC is recycled, and it’s phthalate-free, which is the thing people worry about from a health point of view. PVC is not a great material, so it’s nice to get a better version if you’re going to wear them.
That does sound better. Are they comfortable?
Certainly compared to other plastic shoes or flip-flops I’ve found. They have zero support, your foot just sinks in, so when I wore them to Pitti my feet ached at the end of the day. But they’re not designed for 20,000 steps on cobbles. Worn as intended, I’ve always found them comfortable. I’ve never had blisters from them, which is people’s number-one fear.
I agree. I like the style now, particularly that vintage, 1960s feel. I can see some more intricate second-hand ones on etsy as well.
Great, so you’re going to get some?
No, but I don’t hate them on you any more.
Fair enough.
Above: Ghiaia shoes and styling. Other clothes shown:
- Permanent Style linen overshirt in dark olive (size XL)
- Thom Sweeney navy knitted T-shirt
- Vintage Ralph Lauren shorts, ‘Tyler’ model
- Moscot sunglasses, Lemtosh model with Cliptosh clip-ons
- Vintage Armani striped suit
