Why You Should
Rubi Willa Espadrille Review 2026: Worth It?
Introduction
The espadrille flatform is not a new silhouette, but it has arrived in Australia with fresh momentum in 2026, driven by a wave of Mediterranean-aesthetic content from Australian travel creators posting coastal European itineraries. The result is a very specific consumer appetite: the look of a Mykonos holiday without the A$150+ import price tag. Rubi Shoes, the footwear sub-brand under Cotton On Group, has positioned the Willa Espadrille Flatform Sandal directly into that gap.
The Willa is a slingback open-toe sandal built on a 4cm woven jute flatform sole, with a synthetic leather-look upper strap and an adjustable ankle buckle. Its intended territory covers beach-to-restaurant transitions, coastal markets, and any warm-weather occasion where a thong reads too casual but a heel reads too formal. For the Queensland holiday wardrobe or a Perth summer weekend, that is a genuinely useful category to fill.
The competitive landscape it sits in includes fast-fashion alternatives from Bared, Novo, and international brands available through The Iconic, most of which price between A$70 and A$180 for a comparable silhouette. The Willa undercuts all of them at A$49.99, which makes the question not whether it is cheap, but whether the compromises at that price are ones you can actually live with across a full Australian summer.
Price
The Willa Espadrille Flatform Sandal retails at A$49.99 through Cotton On and Rubi Shoes stockists nationally.
At that price, it sits below the Novo Shoes Biscay Espadrille Flatform (approximately A$79.99) and well below the Bared Oreo Flatform Sandal (A$270+), which targets a serious footwear buyer with anatomical support. The Willa does not compete with Bared on construction or longevity. It competes on seasonal affordability: you are buying a sandal you can wear hard for one or two Australian summers, not a shoe you are building a ten-year relationship with.
For A$49.99, the Willa delivers a style-to-price ratio that owners consistently describe as exceptional. Buyers who compare it to European espadrille imports priced at A$120 to A$160 on The Iconic report the visual gap is smaller than the price gap suggests. The honest assessment: yes, it is worth A$49.99, provided you are not expecting waterproof construction or hardware that will survive daily abuse for years. At this price point, those expectations are misplaced.
Materials and Construction
The Willa's upper is synthetic leather-look PU material, not real leather. The hand feel is smooth and slightly stiff out of the box, with a matte finish that reads convincingly as leather-look at casual distances. It is not supple, and it does not breathe the way a genuine leather upper would.
The flatform sole is wrapped in natural jute rope, the defining material of the espadrille category. The jute wrapping on the Willa is tightly wound and even, with no loose ends or visible gaps in production samples reviewed across verified purchaser reports. The rubber outsole beneath provides grip on flat surfaces and adds a modest layer of protection against ground moisture, though it does not seal the jute from above.
The ankle buckle is metal-toned hardware. Verified purchasers note that the buckle finish holds acceptably across normal seasonal use, but a subset of buyers on earlier production runs reported the clasp mechanism loosening after repeated fastening, suggesting quality control variation across batches. The 4cm platform height is consistent with brand specifications; the flatform base distributes weight across the full footbed rather than elevating only the heel, which is the structural difference between a flatform and a wedge.
The core material limitation is the jute sole. Natural jute fibres absorb water; they do not repel it. Salt water accelerates deterioration, and sustained rain causes the fibres to swell and eventually separate. For a sandal marketed at Australian coastal summer use, that is a genuine design constraint, not a minor caveat.
Comfort
Out of the box, the Willa is comfortable for most buyers without a meaningful break-in period. The flatform distributes body weight across the full length of the sole, which owners consistently report as more comfortable over a full day of walking than a comparable wedge heel that loads the forefoot.
The synthetic PU upper is the comfort variable most dependent on conditions. In temperatures below 30°C, owners report no significant perspiration issues. At 35°C and above, the non-breathable synthetic strap creates noticeable foot sweating along the instep, particularly during sustained walking. Buyers in regional Queensland and northern Western Australia flag this more frequently than those in cooler southern cities, which is consistent with the higher ambient temperatures those regions sustain through November to March.
The ankle strap, when adjusted correctly, holds the foot securely without digging into the Achilles area. Buyers with narrow heels report minor slippage on the larger buckle settings, which is a slingback-silhouette limitation rather than a Willa-specific flaw. The footbed itself is firm rather than cushioned; long-term owners report no significant arch support, which becomes relevant on days exceeding four to five hours of continuous wear on hard surfaces. For beach days, coastal walks on soft terrain, and restaurant dining, the comfort level is appropriate. For a full day navigating a hard-floored shopping centre or market on concrete, the firmness of the footbed will register by mid-afternoon.
Fit and Sizing
The Willa Espadrille runs true to size in Australian sizing, which aligns with UK sizing. Buyers in the dominant pattern of verified Australian reviews confirm that ordering your standard AU size delivers the expected fit across standard to medium foot widths.
Buyers with wider feet consistently find the adjustable ankle buckle accommodates them on the largest setting without needing to size up, which is a practical improvement over fixed-strap espadrille designs. Buyers with a higher instep should test the buckle on its largest setting before assuming a size up will resolve the fit; the upper strap has limited vertical stretch, and sizing up changes the footbed length without resolving instep volume.
Narrow-footed buyers should size true and adjust the buckle to a tighter setting; there is no need to size down, and doing so risks the toe box becoming constrictive. Half-size options are not available; buyers who sit between sizes should round down to their smaller size.
How to Style It
Coastal lunch outfit: Pair the Willa in natural jute/tan with a white linen midi dress and a woven raffia crossbody bag. The jute sole echoes natural textile tones in the bag, and the neutral tan strap works against white without competing. Add gold hoop earrings and a wide-brim straw hat for a complete coastal aesthetic.
Market morning outfit: Style with a terracotta linen co-ord set (cropped shirt and wide-leg trousers) and a canvas tote. The warm tan of the Willa's strap bridges the earthy terracotta without clashing. Keep jewellery minimal: a single gold chain necklace at most. This combination works equally well for a Noosa weekend market or a Fremantle arts precinct walk.
Beach-to-dinner transition: Wear over a white broderie anglaise sundress with thin adjustable straps. The open-toe slingback keeps the silhouette light enough for beach proximity but the 4cm flatform lifts the look sufficiently for a casual coastal dining room. Carry a small leather-look clutch in tan or cream to carry across the transition from beach bag to evening.
Alternatives
Novo Shoes Biscay Espadrille Flatform (approximately A$79.99, available at Novo Shoes nationally and The Iconic)
The Biscay offers a thicker rubber outsole with better weather resistance than the Willa's jute sole, making it the better choice for buyers who want to wear their espadrille in unpredictable weather or light rain. The A$30 premium buys you meaningfully better durability on the sole, not a superior upper or hardware.
Seed Heritage Jute Flatform Sandal (approximately A$99.95, available at Seed Heritage stores and seedheritage.com)
Seed's espadrille offering uses a narrower, more refined silhouette with a slightly higher platform (approximately 5cm) and a cleaner hardware finish. Buyers who want a more polished, office-adjacent espadrille rather than a purely casual holiday shoe will find the Seed version more versatile across a working week. The upper quality is marginally better; the price difference reflects branding as much as construction.
Billini Tomas Flatform Espadrille (approximately A$69.95, available at Billini.com and The Iconic)
Billini's Tomas sits between the Willa and the Novo on price and shares the natural jute construction, making it the most direct like-for-like comparison. The Billini upper uses a slightly softer synthetic, and the colour range at launch tends to be broader than the Willa's. Choose the Billini if the Willa's neutral options have sold out in your size, or if you want a marginally softer strap against the foot.
Pros
- The flatform sole distributes weight evenly across the full footbed, and owners consistently report all-day comfort on beach and coastal terrain without the forefoot strain associated with wedge designs.
- The adjustable ankle buckle accommodates wide feet without requiring a size up, solving a recurring fit problem that fixed-strap espadrilles in this price category fail to address.
- The synthetic upper wipes clean of sand, sunscreen, and light liquid spills, which is a practical advantage in the Australian coastal setting where product contact with those elements is daily rather than occasional.
- At A$49.99, the Willa costs between A$20 and A$110 less than comparable espadrille flatforms available in Australia, with no meaningful visual difference at the distances and settings where the shoe is actually worn.
- The 4cm flatform height adds visible leg length without compromising stability on the uneven pavers, cobbles, and sandy paths that define Australian coastal venues.
Cons
- The natural jute platform absorbs water on contact and deteriorates with repeated exposure to salt water or heavy rain; for a sandal sold into Australia's coastal summer market, this limits the product to dry-weather or dry-terrain use only.
- The synthetic PU upper does not breathe, and buyers in high-temperature coastal regions report noticeable foot perspiration during sustained walking on days above 35°C.
- The ankle buckle hardware shows quality control variation across production batches; a subset of verified purchasers report the clasp mechanism loosening after several weeks of daily fastening.
- The jute flatform sole scuffs and shows surface wear after extended daily use on rough pavement, which compresses the effective lifespan of the shoe if it is treated as an everyday sandal rather than a holiday-specific one.
- The neutral and tan colourways that drive the strongest styling versatility sell out at Cotton On stores and online very quickly at launch, and restocking is inconsistent; buyers who miss the initial drop often find only slower-moving colourways available.
Current Price
A$49.99
Available at Cottonon.com
Buy It Now →Price verified as of July 21, 2026. WYS may earn a commission on purchases.
The WYS Verdict
The Willa Espadrille Flatform Sandal is the right shoe for a specific Australian summer buyer: someone who wants a Mediterranean-aesthetic espadrille for coastal holidays, beach-to-restaurant transitions, and warm-weather weekends, and who will keep it away from ocean water and sustained rain. At A$49.99, it outperforms its price visually and delivers genuine all-day comfort across the casual occasions it is built for. The jute sole's water vulnerability is a real limitation in a coastal country with unpredictable afternoon storms, and buyers who need a single espadrille that handles all conditions should spend up to the Novo Biscay instead. For buyers with clear expectations of dry-weather leisure use, the Willa delivers exactly what it promises.
Score: 7.6 out of 10
Buy it if you want a stylish, lightweight espadrille for dry summer occasions at an accessible price. Skip it if you need a sandal that can survive contact with the ocean, poolside splashing, or the Queensland wet season.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Rubi Shoes Willa Espadrille worth A$49.99?
Yes, at A$49.99 it is worth the price for dry warm-weather use. The style-to-price ratio is strong, with comparable espadrille flatforms in Australia retailing at A$70 to A$160+, and the comfort across beach and coastal terrain is well-documented by owner reports. The score of 7.6 out of 10 reflects genuine value held back by the jute sole's vulnerability to water.
Does the Willa Espadrille fit true to size?
The Willa fits true to size in Australian sizing for most buyers, including those with wider feet, who find the adjustable ankle buckle accommodates them on the largest setting without needing to size up. Buyers between sizes should round down; there are no half sizes available, and the toe box becomes restrictive if you go up unnecessarily.
Can you wear the Willa Espadrille to the beach or in rain?
The natural jute flatform absorbs water and degrades with repeated salt water or rain exposure; this is the sandal's most significant durability limitation. The rubber outsole offers minimal protection against moisture reaching the jute from above, so the Willa is a dry-terrain sandal — suited to coastal dining, markets, and promenades, not ocean wading or caught-in-a-storm situations.
What is the best alternative to the Willa Espadrille in Australia?
The Novo Shoes Biscay Espadrille Flatform at approximately A$79.99 is the most practical alternative for buyers who need better weather resistance. Its thicker rubber outsole provides meaningfully more protection against ground moisture and light rain, making it the better choice for buyers in humid coastal climates or those who cannot predict their weather reliably enough to keep an espadrille dry.