Taking the classic Greek sandal worn by warriors and goddesses and evolving it, Laiik sandals are a must have for any woman, not just a shoe enthusiast!
Three Greek-American siblings Niko, Helene and Marika are the founders of Laiik, who in 2017 decided it was time to make their own design of sandals. This decision came after realising that every trip to the motherland Greece began with buying leather sandals in Plaka that would take them from the city, to the beach, and kept them dancing all summer night long.
They just couldn’t get enough of the same shoes invented and worn by ancient Athenians.
In creating their own designs, they wanted to revamp the classic Greek sandal with bold designs and evolve it for modern day life. The idea was to also bring Greek sandals to the wider American market.
After creating some immaculate sketches on the drawing board, the next thing for the siblings was to find a factory to make the creations come alive. On their next visit to Athens, they found their sole mates in a family-run factory who only work with leather and are very passionate about the traditional Greek sandal.
Handmade by 3rd-generation craftswomen and craftsmen, Laiik’s production line combines traditional handmade techniques with cutting edge technology. The uppers of the sandals are made with Italian Vachetta leather known for its softness and durability, the midsole is made of genuine Cuoio leather and is finished with their signature outsole sole, made of flexible thermorubber that doesn’t slip and slide.
Speaking to The National Herald, Helene has said that she has “always been interested in shoes in particular, but never in a professional capacity! The Greek sandal especially has always been very special to me – it’s stylish, functional, and has history. Every summer, we’d go to Greece and buy at least two pairs of sandals each. It surprised me when my friends back home would go crazy over them, asking me to bring them back pairs the next time I went. In my mind, since I had grown up with them, it was if they’d never seen a sandal before. But it opened my eyes to the sandal’s ‘unique-ness’ and simple beauty.”
Being a diplomatic family travelling all the time growing up, it became a team effort for their parents, aunts and grandparents to raise the children. So for Laiik’s first collection, the siblings named the sandals after their strong, insane and awesome women in their family that raised them- their grandmother Maria (Ria), and their four Aunts Sophia, Verginia, Despina and Kitsa (Sophia, Vergi, Desi, and Kiki).
Laiik sandals are available in a variety of colours made from vegetable dyes, and are the perfect summer sandal for any outfit and occasion.
You will have a Cinderella moment once you slip your foot inside their unique and elegant geometric sandals for the first time!
At the moment, Laiik are only available in America, but international shipping is coming very soon. For more information, please visit www.laiik.com
