The region known as the Basque Country, or Euskadi, is made up of seven historical provinces that straddle the modern-day border between France and Spain, with a combined population of roughly 2.5 million. Ancient seafarers, whalers and shipbuilders, Basques are ethnically distinct from their neighbors and fiercely proud of it: Their native tongue, Euskara, is believed to be the most ancient living language in Europe — and is still spoken by an estimated 750,000 people.
While most of the world considers the black felt beret to be a quintessentially French piece of headgear, its heritage is in fact Basque. Traditionally worn by Basque shepherds, the floppy round hats started to be mass-produced across France in the late 19th century, leading to their wide popularity, especially among the working classes.
Espadrilles…