The babouche renders its wearer unable to walk without shuffling his or her feet and scuffing up the sidewalk; indeed, he or she can be heard slap slap slapping at least a hundred meters away.
There are three distinct styles of traditional babouche shoes. Firstly the Babouche Slippers (sometimes known as Belgha Slippers), a shoe which is handmade from the finest quality sheepskin and comes with a rounded toe. Secondly, the Berber Mules, an extremely comfortable shoe, with a strong traditional and ethnic image.
The third style originally existed mainly in the mountainous regions of Morocco. The local artisans created this intriguing and alternative design to facilitate the life of farmers in the Riff Mountains, and were very much influenced by the Babouche Slipper and the Berber Mule. This new shape avoided clay falling into their shoes and helped to protected the back of their legs while roaming through tough terrain. A shoe that fell into disuse.
The Babucha Boot by AYMO
Our Babouches are different from the originals found in the markets (souks) of the Riff Mountains in Morocco. We worked for months with the local artisans to create our twist on the regional babouche boots.
Firstly we changed the shape, going narrower for a more feminine and elegante fit but still keeping comfort, which was a key factor for us. Secondly we improved the quality of the soles and the structure of the boot, for more sturdy wearing and a comfortable walk on rough ground. Last, but by no means least, we improved the detailing and perfected the finishings. We chose to create our collection of boots in earthy pastel tones, so that they would be on trend for the contemporary Babucha Boot wearers and appeal to the wider urban public.
www.aymoworld.com
Reinventing yesterday’s costumes for today’s urban world.
