BRAIDED WITH CHARACTER
The Soul of the Piece
Stella McCartney's Spur sandals are a lesson in conscious design and technical mastery. Made from Alter Mat — the house's matte vegan alternative, crafted with the precision of nappa leather — they stand out with graphic braiding that adorns the foot with rare artisanal precision. The open-toe slingback silhouette offers a perfect balance between support and freedom — the back strap secures without constraining, the open toe breathes without exposing. In this Dark Brown Coffee color, they offer an organic and deep alternative to classic black: a shade of burnt earth, of strong espresso, which gives the shoe an immediately personal character.
Its Place in Your Wardrobe
In your sartorial library, these Spur sandals occupy the place of the seasonal character shoe — the one you rediscover every spring with the same pleasure. Coffee brown is one of the most underrated warm neutrals in the wardrobe: it works with linen, denim, white, camel, and even burgundy with a natural ease that a too-dark or too-red brown cannot achieve. The braiding, meanwhile, does not age — it is an ancestral motif that transcends all trends. The house provides a protective dust bag and spare heel tips with each pair — a gesture that speaks volumes about how Stella McCartney designs her pieces: to last, not to be replaced.
Style Notes
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The Chromatic Link: Coffee brown is the ideal companion for natural tones — cream linen, sand beige, faded denim. Wear them with a fluid midi dress in one of these shades to create a warm chromatic harmony where the braiding becomes the sole textural element of the silhouette.
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Surface Contrast: Play on the matte, braided aspect of the shoe by pairing it with smooth, shiny materials — satin, silk, smooth leather. The contrast between the elaborate texture of the braiding and the fluidity of the fabric brings out the artisanal work of the straps with immediate intensity.
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The Slingback Line: The back strap naturally refines the ankle — highlight it. Opt for pants that stop just above the ankle bone or slit skirts that reveal the movement of the foot with each step. This construction detail transforms a sandal into a complete stylistic proposition.
Craftsmanship: Braiding on Alter Mat and Stella McCartney's Climate Commitment
Working with braiding on a synthetic material like Alter Mat is a technical feat that is not self-evident. Unlike natural leather, which has shape memory and progressive elasticity, the synthetic microfibre of Alter Mat requires each strap to be cut to an exact width and maintained at constant tension during braiding — otherwise the pattern will deform upon drying. The Italian artisans who make the Spur must master a hybrid technique, blending traditional Mediterranean sandal-making — whose leather braids date back to ancient Greek and Roman times — with the technical demands of a modern material. Alter Mat itself is designed to mimic the touch and suppleness of high-quality nappa while being free of all animal by-products. Stella McCartney, a signatory of the Climate Pledge since 2021, is committed to ensuring that every step of production strives for a neutral carbon footprint — from material manufacturing to box delivery. The spare pair of heel tips included in each box is the most concrete manifestation of this philosophy: a shoe designed not to be thrown away.
