Inspiration | 11th July 2024

Elinne ballerinas

Venetian traditional fiurlane

The Elinne slippers, now available in three gorgeous shades – black, beige, and red orange. These slippers are more than just a fashion statement – they’re a journey through history, culture and craftsmanship.

The Elinne slippers belong to a unique category of footwear known as "friulane," originating from the picturesque region of Friuli Venezia Giulia in northeastern Italy. Friuli, once a modest agricultural area, saw the birth of friulane shoes from the recycling of old sheets, bicycle tires, and discarded clothes. Furlane—also called friulane or papusse—are delicate, handmade slippers traditionally made of velvet, though you may find versions made of linen, silk, or wool. Slim and flat-bottomed, these shoes usually feature a rounded toe and convex tongue and can be found in all colors of the rainbow.

The slippers were the result of a love of velvet and a bit of ingenuity. They were first created in the 19th century. Local girls were a century or two ahead of their time when it came to fashion. They wore friulane, the most elegant shoes in their wardrobes, for festivities and, notably, their own weddings.

Each furlana was made from leftover materials, which meant every pair was completely unique and, without them realising, wonderfully sustainable.

Later on, gondoliers started using them as well – they were the only shoes around at the time – during World War II. They found that the soles of the shoes, which were originally made out of recycled rubber, often from bicycle tyres, didn't damage their wooden boats. The furlane quickly became the footwear of choice for the rulers of the Grand Canal.

Even today, the shoes are known as the gondoliers'. As you wander through the narrow canals of Venice, you'll see the striped gondoliers prancing in their velvet slippers across their glossed ebony gondolas.