Farrutx is a brand that has retained its Mallorcan roots, despite having moved to Elche, Alicante as part of the Globalmarks Group in 2013. The original company was founded in Inca, Mallorca in 1982. From the beginning Farrutx has been singled out for its own unique voice in shoe design. At the same time it shares in the legacy of the island’s traditional high-quality craftsmanship and leather know-how with other well-known high-end brands like Camper, Lottusse and Barrats 1890.
The design philosophy of the brand, which makes footwear for both women and men, is centered on the leather as the main show piece. The range is impressive: from the smoothest napa, velvety suede, and soft calf leather to mirror-like patent, exotic animal print, and textured saffiano (or saffian) leathers. (Modern saffian is a matte leather with a distinctive cross-hatch pattern).
In terms of styles, the choice is huge. Classic pointy toe, square toe, rounded toe, multi-piece brogue style, trendy styles, sporty styles, timeless classics with a touch of the eccentric – take your pick, it’s all there, meticulously finished. All kinds of heels are experimented with too. The color palette, on the other hand, is conservative – with a few exceptions, blacks, browns, navy, and natural leather hues predominate.
One stylistic feature that stands out in many Farrutx pumps is the elongated toe box. It is usually balanced out by a stable heel, like the wide Cuban-type heel on the “Fedra” pump.
The patent leather on this pump makes me wild, literally. It is as impeccable as the surface of a perfectly still black lake. Lining, sole, are all leather, but the compact half-cylindrical heel is made out of metal.
Like a good Mallorcan-style tall boot, the “Nessa” boot is equestrian-inspired. The heel is low, almost completely hidden within an inner platform, which does not extend all the way to the front, leaving an elegant arch in the middle of the sole. The square toe adds an interesting touch to an overall fluid shape. This boot is built for comfort, but it will turn heads because of its elegant profile.
The “Teshi” boot with its moderately pointed toe, elevated instep, generous shaft, and a trapeze-shaped lacquered heel is really swanky.
A couple of words about Saffian leather. Known for its pliability and a smooth tight grain, it had come to Europe from the East via the Tatar lands and Turkey. The name comes from Persian sachtian, which means goat leather tanned with the leaves of the sumac shrub. The tanning process created the unique cross-hatch print on the surface of the leather. Reserved for the rich and powerful, it was usually dyed red or other bright colors.
Today’s saffian leather is produced by imprinting the cross-hatch pattern into wax-coated sheep, goat, of calf leather base. It makes for a stiffer, but more water proof texture, better suited for modern needs.
Given the brand’s excellent leather portfolio, it comes as no surprise that Farrutx also makes great bags and small leather accessories.
So, here you have – a small sampling of what Farrutx has to offer.
Most items shown in this post are from Fall-Winter 2015-16 collection and are available to buy online from the Farrutx website within the European Union. YOOX North America usually carries a small selection of Farrutx footwear, but the best pieces are to be had in Europe, and, first and foremost, Spain, of course. Farrutx has several stores in Madrid (see posts about shoe shopping in Madrid here, here, here, and here) and other big cities of Spain, as well as in native Mallorca.
Despite having been a high-end brand for most of its trajectory, Farrutx is currently trying to become more accessible from the price point of view, with many online sales and outlet stores online and on the ground. The prices for the shoes are usually close to 200 Euros (in case of boots 300 and up), but they often go down quite a bit, some pairs occasionally dipping under the 100 Euro threshold. Farrutx bags go for hundreds of Euros, but, again, you can sometimes get them for between 100 and 200 Euros.
If you encounter a really cheap Farrutx pair online or elsewhere, it usually means that the material is not genuine leather, which will always be fully disclosed. Using less costly materials, such as leather substitutes and stretchy textiles, Farrutx, like many other companies on the Spanish and global market, is simply trying to attract new customers to the brand. The idea is that once you’ve tried a pair of Farrutx, you will want to step it up and go for the high-end leather models. I hope that after reading this post, you will understand why.
