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Best Italian Summer Sandals for Women 2026 — A Designer's Edit
The best summer sandals are those that provide all-day comfort while complementing a variety of outfits.
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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
From the Bergamo Atelier
Handmade in Italy since 1986. Free US shipping over $150. Free returns.
Shop All Summer Sandals →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
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