Carla Gem Buyo

Spanish Brand Pedro Garcia Celebrates 100 Years

Article (news)

<p>Spanish shoe brand <strong>Pedro Garcia</strong>, a favorite of celebrities and fashion insiders alike, is celebrating a century of dedication, fine craftsmanship and aesthetic experimentation in the art and science of shoemaking with a pop-up sale and exclusive party at <strong>Adora</strong>, the home of Pedro Garcia in Manila for 18 years.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1751960700209PedroGarcia-SS25-021.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo Courtesy of Pedro Garcia</span></span></span></div><p>“Wasn’t that fun?” Asks Pedro Garcia when our one-on-one interview wraps up with a big smile and a hearty handshake. He’s got a few more interviews ahead but he never shows any fatigue; in fact, he is a gracious, Old World, old-school gentleman through and through. But not the overly stiff or formal kind of gentleman, he peppers our conversation with witty, philosophical insights that reflect the unexpected detailing and exquisite details in his shoe designs.</p><div><br/></div><p>Pedro Garcia shoes are known for that magical balance of style and comfort. Pedro posits: “Fashion and style and comfort are not always friends. But in our case, they’re friends, so we are like diplomats, in a way.” But as a true gentleman, he gives all the credit to a lady, his co-creative director, and his American wife Dale. “With my grandfather and father, they were more concerned with growing the business and taking care of the employees, so they didn’t focus on Pedro Garcia, as a name and as a brand. When my father asked my sister and me, are you ready, my sister and I agreed to bring up this name. I had gone to New York to study at FIT, where I had met my wife, and in all honesty, it was Dale who really always said that the shoes have to be comfortable. We found this anatomical sole and we use it a lot.”</p><div><br/></div><p>At this point of the interview, Pedro stands up to pick a shoe from their anniversary <strong>ESSENTIA</strong> collection. He points out that the upper of the sandal is free from stitches and unnecessary layers. “We use goat leather here, very soft and comfortable, so it doesn’t need any lining so it’s not going to cut into the foot. And we used Velcro, some people said it’s only for kids shoes or trainers but we liked to find a new way to encase the Velcro in the leather.”</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:814px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1751960730791PedroGarcia-SS25-07.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo Courtesy of Pedro Garcia</span></span></span></div><div><strong>WORLD WIDE, HOME MADE</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>“From the very beginning, my grandfather always put MADE IN SPAIN in all our shoes, so we wanted to honor that, the book was put together to show our commitment to that,” Pedro explains the reason for the Book SEASONS, which shows some of their most beautiful shoes, photographed all over Spain. “Spain is so diverse. From the north, which looks a bit like Scotland, and the south, which has deserts.” He then picks up the book and shows us an ancient workshop of equestrian gear. “Can you see the patina? That leather was vegetable-tanned, which is what we use for our shoes, too. It’s the oldest way of tanning leather, and also the best for the environment. It is using the cork of the tree to treat the leather. I don’t know how it was discovered, maybe a branch fell on some leather and they saw that it made it softer and better. It’s a method used since the Roman Empire.”</p><div><br/></div><p>All Pedro Garcia shoes are made in the family-owned factory in Elda. “It’s not the prettiest town, I admit, but it’s twenty minutes from the beach. So every weekend, I rush to the beach! The Mediterranean is part of my soul.”</p><div><br/></div><p>For the 100th year of Pedro Garcia, Pedro and his team are doing a world tour in stores like Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus in the US, Selfridges in the UK, Lane Crawford in HK, and Adora here in the Philippines. From the very first day of Adora’s operations, they have sold Pedro Garcia shoes. “It was my cousin who was in charge of our sales outlets and he told me, ‘You must see this store Adora.’ And so we are here in Adora!”</p><div><br/></div><p>Personal store appearances are a big part of the Pedro Garcia brand. “It’s fantastic to meet the customers. They tell us what they like, and what they don’t. One lady I met in Seoul told me that she wears her shoes for ten years and that’s the best. When people tell me, we have to make shoes for the younger market, I say WHY? I don’t care if the women who wear our shoes are 18 or 89. We make shoes for women who have a life to live, and their age isn’t important.”</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1751963785808PedroGarcia-SS25-03.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo Courtesy of Pedro Garcia</span></span></span></div><div><strong>CRYSTAL CLEAR</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>This year also marks the 25th year of Pedro Garcia and Swarovski.</p><div><br/></div><p>Pedro reveals, “One of the shoes that put us on the map was a very simple sandal with the anatomical sole of course. At that time, crystals were only for fancy evening shoes, but we thought, why not put it on an everyday sandal?”</p><div><br/></div><p>For the anniversary collection, Pedro gleefully tells us, “We have an Italian supplier who told me, we have this mother of pearl material that I think you can use. We made a sandal with a little silk strap; and it turns out, that mother of pearl is from the Philippines!”</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>FIT FOR A QUEEN</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Name any A-lister known for her style and she has probably worn Pedro Garcia: Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey, Sarah Jessica Parker, Scarlett Johansson, the Olsen twins, Drew Barrymore and Jennifer Aniston have all been known to have worn their shoes.</p><div><br/></div><p>One particular lady made news because of switching from sky high stillettos to low and medium heel sandals. Queen Letizia of Spain had some foot issues and was advised by her doctors to stay away from high heels. She was then photographed in Pedro Garcia sandals. Pedro Garcia shares, “Her stylist is friends with one of our marketing people and of course, we were so happy that she chose to wear us.”</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1751963828568PedroGarcia-SS25-028.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo Courtesy of Pedro Garcia</span></span></span></div><div><strong>WANDERLUST AND CURIOSITY</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>On one of the first pages of the book Seasons is a quote from Pedro Garcia that may be the key to their family‘s success.</p><div><br/></div><p>“Our family has always had curiosity and wanderlust.”</p><div><br/></div><p>Perusing the book, it is clear that a strong sense of exploration is part and parcel of every Pedro Garcia shoe. A mannish brogue will have feminine intricate details. A ballet flat will be made with elastic created for lingerie, so it is soft and gentle on the foot. Rubber, silk and crystals all converge on a single shoe.</p><div><br/></div><p>When asked about what comes next, Pedro says simply, “We just have to stay always curious.”</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1751963845728PedroGarcia-SS25-011.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo Courtesy of Pedro Garcia</span></span></span></div><div><em>Pedro Garcia is available at Adora in Greenbelt 3</em></div>

Metro Exclusive: Pedro Garcia Shares The Story Behind Their 100-Year Heritage Shoe Brand

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Metro Exclusive: Pedro Garcia Shares The Story Behind Their 100-Year Heritage Shoe Brand

Leah Puyat

Published Jul 08, 2025 04:55 PM PHT

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