Ivorian fashion critic Emmanuelle Keita traces the leke back to the 1980s when they were worn solely by people with "limited financial means"
In Abidjan, the rainy season is coming to an end, but people never put away their "leke"—cheap, water-resistant, plastic sandals, which have become a symbol of Ivorian cultural identity.
"Everyone has worn leke," said Rokia Daniogo, a 33-year-old shopkeeper, as she sat on a street corner in the huge market in the bustling Treichville district, where shoppers browse hundreds of stalls.
"All the children wear leke, even the babies," she added.