Gaimo's story starts in 1978 when José Luis Iturriaga and his wife Esmeralda decided to capitalise on La Rioja's traditional espadrille-making craft by opening a workshop of their own in the area. Maintaining respect for traditional artisan methods while continuing to look to new technology-driven ways to propel the business forward, José has built an international brand over 45 years with roots firmly planted in La Rioja, Spain. His daughter Esmeralda now heads the design team at Gaimo and has developed the brand's signature 'craft look' - a design ethos that not only embraces but celebrates the 'beautiful imperfections of handmade work'.