SUMMER 2026 EDIT · MADE IN ITALY · BY MIKE LOPRIORE
The best Italian summer sandals for women in 2026 are flat T-thongs, raffia Mary Janes, and sculpted platform wedges — handmade in Bergamo from Tuscan leathers and hand-woven raffia. My four picks for the season, named after the places along the Italian coast that inspired them, start at $195.
I designed this collection sitting on a terrace in Sorrento, with my father, looking out at the water. That’s not a marketing line — it’s literally how it happened. Every sandal in our Summer 2026 collection is named after the Italian coastline that shaped it: Positano, Sorrento, Amalfi, Ischia, Gaeta, Porto Cervo. The colors come from the stone and the sea. The shapes come from watching Italian women walk the streets where I grew up.
Below: my four favorite pieces from the season, in honest order. What they’re for, who they’re for, and what to wear them with.
The Best Flat Italian Sandal: Positano T-Thong
If you only buy one Italian sandal this summer, make it the Positano T-Sandal. The flat profile and minimal T-thong work with a sundress as easily as with linen trousers. The nappa leather is Tuscan — soft enough to mold to your foot in the first three wears, sturdy enough to last five summers. Available in Nappa Cuoio, Moro, Nude, and a hand-woven Raffia + Cuoio version that’s our quiet bestseller.
THE EDITOR’S PICK
Positano T-Sandal
$228 · Nappa Leather · Flat T-thong
Handmade in Italy in four colorways. The most-wearable sandal in the Summer 2026 collection — flat, refined, packable. Available in nappa or a raffia + leather variant.
Shop Positano →
The Best Raffia Italian Sandal: Sorrento Block-Heel
Raffia is having a long moment in Italian shoemaking, and it’s not a trend — it’s a return. The Sorrento Block-Heel Sandal pairs hand-woven raffia from a Tuscan family workshop we’ve worked with for over a decade with nappa leather on a comfortable block heel. Wear it to a long lunch on the coast, to a casual dinner in the city, to a wedding where you’d rather not commit to a stiletto.
RAFFIA + LEATHER
Sorrento Block-Heel Sandal
$265 · Hand-woven Raffia · Block heel
Wide front strap in hand-woven Italian raffia, slingback in soft nappa, block heel for stability. Made by hand in our Bergamo atelier.
Shop Sorrento →
The Best Italian Wedge Sandal: Amalfi Crossover
The wedge is the most underrated heel shape in summer footwear — it gives you height without punishing your back or your cobblestone-walking ability. The Amalfi Wedge Sandal has a crossover slingback in soft nappa on a sculpted platform. I designed it for the woman who wears heels all summer and doesn’t want to limp by the second glass of wine.
HEIGHT WITHOUT THE PAIN
Amalfi Wedge Sandal
$265 · Nappa Leather · Crossover slingback
Crossover slingback, sculpted platform wedge, all-day comfort. Available in Nappa Cuoio, Nera, and Panna.
Shop Amalfi →
The Best Italian Slide Sandal: Porto Cervo
For the woman who packs one pair of sandals for a long weekend in Sardinia, Porto Cervo is the answer. Soft Italian suede, slim straps, a low slide silhouette. Pair it with white linen, with a denim cut-off, with a silk slip dress — it disappears into the outfit in the right way.
THE STARTING PRICE FAVORITE
Porto Cervo Sandal
$195 · Italian Suede · Low slide
Soft Italian suede slide in Visone and Cacao. The most-packable sandal we make — slim, light, and refined.
Shop Porto Cervo →
Every sandal in our Summer 2026 collection is named after the Italian coastline that shaped it. The colors come from the stone and the sea.
What Makes a Sandal Actually Italian
The phrase “Italian sandals” gets stamped on a lot of boxes that don’t earn it. Legally, a shoe can carry “Made in Italy” only if more than 70% of its construction happens in Italy — but in practice the language gets stretched, and “Italian style” often means the shoe was made elsewhere.
Every Michele Lopriore sandal in this guide is genuinely handmade in Italy. Specifically: our Bergamo atelier, where my father opened his first workshop in 1986. The leather is Tuscan — vegetable-tanned for our flats, full-grain calf for our wedges. The raffia is hand-woven by a family workshop in Tuscany we’ve worked with for over a decade. The lasts are carved for each silhouette. A finished pair has been touched by hand at least seven times.
That’s the difference between “Italian-style” and Italian. It’s also why a $228 Positano lasts five summers instead of one.
SHOP THE FULL EDIT
Six Italian sandals for Summer 2026
Sorrento Block-Heel
$265
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Gaeta Horsebit Wedge
$265
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Ischia V-Strap Wedge
$265
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Quick Answers
What are the best Italian summer sandals for women?
The best Italian summer sandals combine handmade construction with comfortable, season-spanning silhouettes. The Michele Lopriore Summer 2026 picks are the Positano T-Sandal ($228, flat thong), the Sorrento Block-Heel ($265, raffia + leather), the Amalfi Wedge ($265, crossover platform), and the Porto Cervo Slide ($195, soft suede). All are handmade in our Bergamo atelier in Italy.
Are flat Italian sandals good for walking?
Yes — provided the construction is right. Italian flat sandals like the Positano T-Sandal are built on a leather insole that molds to your foot, with hand-stitched straps and a flexible sole. They’re far more comfortable for long walks than mass-produced flats.
Do Italian sandals run small?
Italian sandals run approximately half a US size small, and Italian lasts are narrower in the heel and slightly wider in the toe box than American sizing. A US 8 customer typically wears an IT 38 in Michele Lopriore. When in doubt, size up half — leather softens to your foot, it doesn’t tighten.
What sandals should I pack for an Italian vacation?
Three sandals cover almost any Italian itinerary: one flat for cobblestones and long walks (Positano T-Sandal), one statement wedge or platform for evenings (Amalfi or Sorrento), and one easy slide for the hotel-to-beach transition (Porto Cervo). Don’t bring brand-new shoes — break them in for at least three wears at home first.
What is the difference between “made in Italy” and “Italian-style” sandals?
“Made in Italy” is a legally protected designation requiring that more than 70% of the shoe’s construction take place in Italy. “Italian-style” usually means the shoe was designed in Italy but manufactured elsewhere. Every Michele Lopriore sandal is genuinely handmade in our Bergamo, Italy atelier.
How long do Italian leather sandals last?
A handmade Italian leather sandal, cared for properly, lasts five to eight summers. The leather softens and improves with wear; the construction supports re-soling and minor repairs by a good cobbler.
Con amore,
Mike Lopriore
Designer & second-generation Lopriore
