The shoes that made the history of fashion

Are there any timeless shoe styles that never go out of fashion? Especially the styles that made the history of fashion?

The answer is absolutely yes.

Made in Italy shoes are recognized and loved all over the world for their classic, elegant and timeless style.

For this reason many brands from year to year include classic models, which never go out of style, in their collections. From moccasins to lace-up shoes, these models are loved and chosen by many people who want to give a refined touch to their outfits.

What are the shoes which have now become “classic”?

Gommino Moccasin by Tod’s

If we talk about Tod’s we immediately think of one shoe in particular. The shoe that has become an icon over the years: Gommino Moccasin.

This shoe is the result of Diego Della Valle’s insight who in the 70s, inspired by a pilot moccasin seen in an antiques store in Manhattan, created a casual and chic shoe at the same time.

A very light, flat and ultra-soft moccasin, entirely hand-stitched and characterized by 133 rubber studs on the sole, came to life.

Gommino Moccasin was a real success as it suited both formal looks and casual styles, and it soon became the favorite shoe of celebrities and movie stars.

Today the Gommino collection is still loved and demanded by shoe addicts; it is available in different customized versions, finishes and colors.

Double buckle by Santoni

Santoni double buckle shoe is one of those essential models that cannot be missing in a man’s wardrobe. Over the years it has become the distinguishing style for this brand in the world. The double buckle makes the look elegant and versatile at the same time, with a sophisticated touch.

Today Santoni, a brand born in the seventies with Andrea Santoni, presents the double buckle style in numerous variations of materials and colors, offering a modern but always contemporary interpretation.

Brera Moccasin by Fratelli Rossetti

It was the Sixties when Renzo Rossetti added the famous “bows” to the mocassin creating a new style. To introduce this decorative element, in a period when essentiality reigned supreme, represented almost a revolutionary act in the panorama of Italian fashion.

The innovative character of this style prompted its inventor to opt for Brera, naming it after the historic Milanese district that gave birth to artistic movements and new trends.

Initially it was a men’s model, then in the early 70s declined in a female version. Today Brera moccasin is still available and it is periodically presented in limited editions, such as the one that celebrated the 50th anniversary of this historic shoe.

“Alessandro” shoe by Berluti 

This style is a true icon of the brand belonging to the LVMH group. This lace-up has an ancient history that dates back to 1895 when the founder of the maison, Alessandro Berluti, created the shoe, starting from a single piece of leather, without even a seam.

The “Alessandro” shoe was presented at the Universal Exposition in Paris in 1900 and immediately conquered the most exclusive clientele, becoming an icon of style. The absence of seams makes the shoe unique of its kind, perfect for those looking for an elegant, refined and essential style.

Bontoni

Bontoni shoes are the result of centuries-old tradition, which combines passion and artisan skills to work with raw materials of the highest quality.

Bontoni shoes are also distinguished by the type of stitching: the Norwegian one.

Three stitchings complete this complex process: the first seam links the upper to the insole, the second joins the upper, after being turned outwards, to the middle sole. The final sole is finally sewn to this, thus creating a single body.

This method makes the shoe robust and above all waterproof.

Fratelli Borgioli shoe factory also produces classic and timeless models every year, trying to interpret tradition with elegance and innovation.

Fratelli Borgioli shoes are the outcome of a family tradition that began more than seventy years ago in an artisan workshop in the heart of the Florentine countryside, in La Stella di Vinci.

Every Borgioli shoes by Fratelli Borgioli is a true artisan masterpiece, made in a  impeccable and comfortable way. The tradition of Tuscan craftsmenship and technological innovation merge together to give life to a shoe that will accompany his owner for the lifetime.

With the style and formal perfection of its products, Fratelli Borgioli keeps the passion for Italian taste alive throughout the world, thanks to a network of selected retailers who believe in beauty and quality.

If you wish to become one of our reseller CONTACT US.

The processes that make artisanal shoes unique

Lavorazione Blake rapida

The artistry of Italian craftsmanship is famous worldwide: there are so many sectors in which Italy excels and stands out from other countries.

Production techniques and work methods are handed down from father to son, generation after generation, giving life to unique products.

In the footwear industry, this wealth of knowledge sustained by generations of craftsmen provides the means to design products which are sold all over the world and are much appreciated for their unique qualities.

A boutique aiming to stand out amid the multitude of shops and looking to draw customers who would otherwise buy online necessarily has to highlight the fruits of Italy’s artisanal legacy and explain what makes Italian craftsmanship truly unique.

What distinguishes a handmade shoe? What makes it unique? How to explain these characteristics to customers and reveal the intrinsic value of your wares?

Let’s find out.


Craftsmanship in a shoe

We start with the selection of the raw material: leather. Every artisanal shoemaker has their own trusted producers and suppliers, who are often based locally. The raw material is where it all starts, and you need to know it inside out.

Choosing the leather and checking its quality goes hand in hand with a process of constant creative research and trend analysis, so that the shoes you make are always original and reflect the market trends.

Then comes the cutting of the leather. This calls for an expert craftsman who knows how to handle the leather without spoiling it, and enhance its properties to the full.

There are also many other steps such as edging, lining, assembling the various parts and then finishing: this last step may involve several different processes that will vary depending on the type of shoe.

An artisanal shoe is the result of many processes (sometimes more than 100) performed by specialised craftsmen with specific know-how. Each step of the manufacturing process undergoes quality control to ensure the success of the finished product.

Understanding the technical skills and various phases of creating a handmade shoe can explain the intrinsic value of the product, and its price, which to the uninitiated might seem rather high.


A few of the processes

Although every artisanal shoemaker’s workshop has its own story, its own peculiarities and of course its own trade secrets that make the product unique and often inimitable, there are certain processes which are frequently used by shoemakers.


Goodyear

This robust, laborious technique owes its name to its inventor Charles Goodyear, who patented the method in 1832. It involves two seams: the first binds the insole to the upper and the welt, while the second binds the welt to the sole. The welt is simply the soft leather running around the perimeter of the shoe.

This particular process is performed entirely by hand, with no external stitching. The result is a strong, extremely high quality shoe that will last.

Goodyear welting is a slow process that requires great skill and specialist expertise.

This type of stitching offers a number of advantages, as it makes the shoe extremely comfortable, yet resistant. Goodyear shoes can be resoled when the sole wears out.


Norwegian

Three rows of stitching are needed to complete this complex process: the first row binds the upper to the insole, the second row, after being turned out, binds the upper to the midsole. Finally, the sole is stitched on, creating a single body.

This makes the shoe strong and most importantly waterproof.


Blake

This work method owes its name to Lyman Reed Blake, the American inventor who in 1858 designed a sewing machine to stitch shoe soles together. The outer sole is stitched directly onto the insole, which gives the shoe greater flexibility and reduces weight.

This technique requires a number of additional steps, but also offers several advantages: the finished shoe is resistant, flexible and comfortable.


Blake Rapid

A variant of the traditional Blake, this method produces a shoe that is practically indestructible. Thanks to its robust, waterproof finish, this method is particularly well-suited to winter footwear. The midsole is stitched to the upper using the classic Blake method, and the outer sole is then joined to the midsole using the Blake Rapid construction technique.

Despite its sturdiness, the shoe is comfortable. This is one of the oldest and most prestigious shoemaking techniques, as it creates an extremely hardwearing shoe that can be resoled.

These are just some of the work methods that distinguish a handmade shoe and make this type of footwear so unique and valuable. Any retailer of artisanal footwear is well aware of its value, and knows they are selling a durable shoe that will last, precisely because of how it was made.

Fratelli Borgioli shoes are the result of a family tradition that started more than 70 years ago in a shoemaker’s workshop in La Stella (Vinci), in the heart of the Florentine countryside.

Each shoe made by Fratelli Borgioli is flawless and comfortable: a true artisanal masterpiece. Traditional Tuscan craftsmanship meets technological innovation to create a shoe that will last the wearer a lifetime.

The styling and formal perfection of our footwear helps to keep alive the world’s passion for a taste of Italy, thanks to a network of selected retailers who share our belief in beauty and quality.

If you would like to become one of our retailers, please contact us or fill out the form.

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10 Italian Fashion Photographers To Keep An Eye On

Discover the variety of the styles of our hand-picked list of 10 italian fashion photographers in our latest article.

Everything can be fashionable and everything can be a trend.

Summer garments come out in autumn, and the winter ones come out in summer: fashion is always one step ahead. Between fashion shows, stylists, models and influencers, there is always something that is trendy and that everyone decides to follow.

Fashion is also photography. As Coco Chanel puts it:

“Fashion is not something that exists only in clothes. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, our way of life, what is happening.”

(Coco Chanel)

While stylists choose the models who best represent their style, photographers face the challenging task of making it stand out.

The diversity of the photographers’ approach to this task is well reflected in the works of our hand-picked 10 italian fashion photographers:

Oliviero Toscani

Let’s start with Oliviero Toscani, a photographer who is often criticized and censored for his photos.

He has photographed models for some magazines such as Vogue and Elle but is famous for his provocative style that he expresses through his photos.

By the way, he did an important advertising campaign for the Benedetton brand where he voluntarily photographed some anorexic models to go against too strict beauty standards in the fashion world.

A style then that we can call shockvertising and that still today thanks to his photos is used for some social complaints.

Mario Sorrenti

Mario sorrenti was born in Naples but moved to New York where he soon became famous for his photos.

He has worked for both Vogue USA and Vogue Italia as well as for other important magazines but his fame is due to the photographs taken of Kate Moss.

Sorrenti is an avant-garde photographer, he likes to photograph nude or semi-nude models and tries to enhance their sensuality and sexuality.

His photos are often in black and white or in any case with cold tones that highlight the model. He often photographs street people, models but also ordinary people and in these photos often stands out the background and the street.

Ferdinando Scianna

Scianna was born in Sicily in 1943 and began his career as a very young photographer.

At first he began photographing Sicilian landscapes until, after his meeting with Sciascia, he decided to also decide to take pictures of religious holidays until he moved to Milan where he began working for the European Championship.

When he goes to Paris he makes friends with Henri Bresson and this starts his career as a photographer in fashion. His style is simple and he often photographs in black and white.

The scenarios are simple, with models of which he enhances the sensuality. Scianna also worked in Milan for the fashion house Dolge & Gabbana.

Paolo Roversi

Paolo roversi was born in Ravenna in 1947 and decides to become a photographer after a trip made with his family in Spagna.

Here he became passionate about the world of fashion and decided to open his first studio in 1973 in Ravenna, also forging collaborations with Nevio Natali.

Only after his move to Paris, Roversi begins to photograph for important fashion houses and magazines. Vogue itself considers him one of the most talented photographers and it is not surprising.

His photos are a mixture of close-ups, of simple photos but in which the natural beauty of the model is enhanced together with a mixture of mystery and sensuality.

Roberta Krasnig

Roberta is a talented photographer who often collaborates with famous celebrities and models as she travels between Rome, the city where she was born, Milan and Paris.

Her goal is to make the model feel at ease, breaking down her shyness and managing to enhance her often hidden confidence. She has a modern style, her photos are all very colorful, a mix of close-ups and original poses.

She also photographs models in groups and not the single person, such as some photos set in a dance school where he alternates colors and particular poses.

Lucia Giaciani

Lucia Giaciani was born in the province of Ancona in 1976 where she attended a design school and became passionate about black and white photo photography, until she moved to Milan to become a fashion photographer.

She works for important fashion magazines like Vogue but it is her style that makes her a great photographer: original, eccentric photos, models with strange hairstyles, with colorful dresses that enhance even more particular and equally colorful scenarios.

Some of these are simple but in some photos Lucia uses backgrounds such as chessboards, carriages and horses and enchanted forests. Photos that are worth seeing.

Mauro Del Signore

Based in Milan (Italy), Mauro Del Signore is an emerging street fashion photographer who has worked with many celebrities from the world of fashion and entertainment.

You might meet him on the streets of Milan walking in his sneakers, his camera and a very casual and comfortable style.

We like his style which always conveys something real, highlighting the personality and beauty of the person.

Gian Paolo Barbieri

Born in Milan, he first began working as an actor and costume designer and then, after moving to Rome, he became a photographer, also collaborating for Harper’s Bazar.

After opening her studio in Milan she works for fashion magazines such as Condè Nast and for international magazines such as Vogue America even if her photos are exhibited almost all over the world as in the MAMM in Moscow.

He has photographed many celebrities such as Roberto Bolle, his style is simple and his photos are often in black and white while enhancing the gaze, pose and body of the photographer.

Ilaria Orsini

Ilaria Orsini always moved between Milan, New York and Paris while she collaborated for Double Magazine and other important fashion magazines.

She herself often defines her style halfway between cinema and a break with modernity, also calling herself a non-conformist for the poses, angles and backgrounds she uses.

The models are almost never photographed in full, often uses a blur effect and in many photos she prefers to give space to the background, minimalist but simple and impactful.

Arianna Lago

Finally, we suggest you keep an eye on Arianna Lago. She is a great Italian photographer even though she lives and works in London while collaborating with important magazines such as Metal.

Only recently she is establishing herself as a fashion photographer. Her goal is to always show the natural beauty of the models, their bodies and the environment that surrounds them.

She always manages to photograph the subject and the space, creating harmonious and simple environments. At the same time, it conveys the fragility of the subject in a safe and comforting environment, a mixture of fashion and pure art.

She loves colors and playing with lights to recreate environments that also express an artistic sense. An emerging photographer not to be missed.

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