Princess Diana’s Favorite Summer Shoe Is Suddenly Everywhere Again in 2026
By Runway Magazine Editorial Team | June 6, 2026
In 1981, at a polo match, Princess Diana fashion made a quietly revolutionary statement. She arrived in butter-yellow denim overalls over a floral bib shirt. On her feet: a pair of raspberry red espadrille wedges. The image circulated as a style moment even then. In 2026, it circulates as a tutorial. Fashion editor picks routinely treat that specific photograph as a reference point for one of the summer’s most significant footwear stories. Wedge espadrilles are back. They are defining summer shoe trends 2026 in a way that suggests this is not a passing nostalgic moment.
The evidence arrives from multiple directions at once. Marie Claire named wedges one of six defining shoe trends for spring 2026. Footwear News reports that retail buyers rank espadrilles and low-profile wedge sandals among the best summer shoes and top-performing footwear categories this season. Runways at Victoria Beckham, Chloé, and Isabel Marant confirmed the directional shift. Isabel Marant revived its iconic Bekett wedge sneaker specifically for this season. On social media, looks inspired by the 2000s and reimagined for 2026 are enjoying massive success. Wedge espadrilles are taking center stage. That combination — runway, retail, social — confirms this is among the season’s defining luxury footwear trends.
The Royal Archive That Is Driving the Moment
Harper’s Bazaar put the historical context with precision — tracing Princess Diana shoes to an early-1980s moment that anchors the 2026 conversation: “When, exactly, did this royal footwear romance begin? Cast your eye back to the 1980s and you’ll find photographs of Princess Diana floating around, looking chic in a crimson pair of espadrille sandals.” That framing explains why the Diana archive is so commercially useful to the 2026 wedge espadrille story. The photographs exist. They are aesthetically coherent. They connect a current trend to a specific, admired, historically grounded style moment. When Who What Wear covered the trend in March 2026, it was direct: Diana “edge-ified the look with a pair of classic the wedge style in raspberry red, adding height, dimension, and a touch of daring.”
That description — height, dimension, a touch of daring — is the contemporary styling brief for wedge espadrilles in 2026.
Why the Diana Reference Still Works
Editors invoking royal style inspiration are pointing toward a specific aesthetic language. The wedge espadrille elevates a casual summer outfit through a single footwear choice that is deliberate without being formal, confident without being overdressed. These are elegant summer outfits built around a single footwear decision.
The celebrity shoe trends and royal footwear legacy extend well beyond Diana.
The Living Royal Endorsement
Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, and Queen Letizia of Spain have all been photographed in these shoes — particularly the Castañer style with its pump-like front cover and fabric ties. That sustained royal fashion trends endorsement of the category is not accidental. The espadrille wedge offers “just enough lift to feel intentional without the faintest whiff of trying too hard.” It also works “from picnic blanket to coastal soirée without appearing overdressed.” For a life conducted in public across a range of summer contexts — which is precisely the life of a working royal — that versatility is genuinely useful.
For more on the style stories driving 2026’s biggest trends, explore Runway’s quiet luxury and soft power dressing analysis.
The History: How the Wedge Espadrille Got Its Pedigree
The espadrille’s origins are centuries old — rooted in Spain and France, handmade from esparto grass and worn by farmers and artisans. The wedge espadrille as modern fashion knows it is considerably younger. Yves Saint Laurent partnered with Castañer in the 1970s to create the very first wedge espadrille — elevating the humble Spanish shoe into a fixture of fashion pedigree.
That collaboration gave the wedge espadrille its luxury fashion credentials. Chanel made espadrilles chic, renewing their double-C logo styles every year in new colorways and materials. Castañer followed suit. The 1980s royal adoption embedded the shoe into the imagination of a generation. Diana’s raspberry red pair was the most photographed example. The 1990s and 2000s sustained the form commercially. Then, like so many things from that era, the wedge espadrille spent several seasons as a “former trend.” 2026 delivered one of the year’s most convincing classic fashion comeback stories.
The mechanism of that return is well understood within the fashion industry. According to Marks & Spencer’s womenswear design head Lisa Illis, the comeback is “part of the wider trend towards nostalgic dressing.” She notes what distinguishes the 2026 version: “We’ve moved away from the espadrille wedge of the early 2000s to something more sophisticated.” More elaborate soles, bolder lines, and modernized materials — smooth leather, technical textiles, and vibrant colors — mark the difference.
The 2026 Version: What Has Changed
The 2026 wedge espadrille is notably different from its 2000s predecessor. That distinction is central to understanding this season’s women’s footwear trends. Early-2000s versions were often dominated by rope soles and overtly casual styles. Today’s versions, however, feel more elevated — cleaner lines, richer textures. Isabel Marant’s Bekett revival represents one design direction — a hybrid of the espadrille’s woven sole and a contemporary sneaker upper. Victoria Beckham’s and Chloé’s runway iterations represent another: elevated, clean-lined, deliberately sophisticated.
The height story has also changed. The 2026 wedge trend comes in every height imaginable. Small wedged heels are trending alongside kitten heels, allowing height without sacrificing comfort. That range — from barely-there lift to platform height — democratizes the category in ways that pure stiletto heels cannot. Podiatrists interviewed by Today.com confirm that wedges provide better weight distribution and arch support than traditional heels. They reduce strain during all-day wear. The comfortable luxury shoes argument is commercially significant in 2026. The consumer who has spent recent seasons in flat sandals or sneakers is not simply trading comfort for style. They are being offered both — and summer fashion essentials in 2026 are being redefined accordingly.
The styling territory has also expanded. Influencers, stylists, and fashion enthusiasts are pairing these shoes with contemporary pieces — urban outfits far removed from their image as mere vacation style 2026 footwear. Illis suggests the updated styling approach: “Flowy floral dresses and chunky wedges” is the classic summer wardrobe ideas pairing. The 2026 version, however, pushes further.
The Brands to Know
Castañer remains the reference point. The brand co-created the wedge espadrille’s luxury fashion credentials alongside Yves Saint Laurent. It has maintained that position through every subsequent revival. The Castañer Carina espadrille sandals in particular sell out fast in both the 60, 90, and 110mm heights. For a shoe category in full commercial revival, the brand’s position is strong.
Chanel’s approach — renewed annually in new colorways and materials — keeps the category in the luxury conversation at the very top of the market. Ganni has taken the summer classic into edgier territory with leather straps and chunky hardware. This expands the category’s reach into a demographic that might previously have dismissed the espadrille as insufficiently urban.
The designer espadrilles conversation is matched at the accessible end of the market, which is equally active. Marie Claire’s spring 2026 wedge trend coverage includes options across price points, reflecting the retail data about category-wide performance. The wedge espadrille is proving its credentials as one of the era’s timeless fashion staples. This isn’t a flash-in-the-pan trend. The wedge is settling in for a long stay.
As Who What Wear’s Princess Diana espadrille feature confirms, the Diana archive is actively shaping how editors and consumers think about the summer shoe trend 2026 — with her 1981 raspberry red wedge espadrille moment serving as the definitive royal fashion reference of the summer. As Harper’s Bazaar’s royal espadrilles guide confirms, the espadrille wedge is “the only heel that can be worn from picnic blanket to coastal soirée without appearing overdressed” — a quality that explains both its royal endorsement and its 2026 commercial resurgence. For all the fashion, footwear, and style coverage that matters in 2026, trust Runway Magazine.
