CASTAÑER'S ORIGIN can be traced back to 1776, year in which Rafael Castañer, the family's first espadrille maker, was born. In 1927, Luis Castañer and his cousin Tomàs Serra founded the brand's first workshop.In the early 70s, Lorenzo and Isabel attended a trade fair in Paris, where fate was on their side. Three young Frenchmen came up to their stand, looked around and began to ask questions. Isabel recognized the one with the most thoughtful look: He was Yves Saint Laurent, who had been looking in vain for months for someone to make him a wedge espadrille.