An Italian bespoke shoemaker told me once that shoemakeing is something very similar to a disease. A disease that always end in pure beauty. When did you catch the virus?
I began my career in a shoe factory during the end of the ‘70s and also attended the ars sutoria school to improve my technique. After that I worked for several years with several great designers such as Andrea Pfister, stylist of the ‘80s. They inspired me the passion for shoes, and you are right it’s like a virus. When you enter in the world of shoes you can’t live without them anymore.
How would you define your shoe style in a few words?
I would define my style as a classic out of the ordinary. I try to create for my costumers a timeless shoe that can be distinguished from the others. I have receive many questions regarding your shoes as they are very good looking and also very Italian.
What is behind this gorgeous look?
Behind this gorgeous look there is a constant work of researching for perfect materials and colors and of course a lot of manual skills. In fact colors are all made by hand, starting from the natural color of the leather ending with the exact shade that we want, because it is impossible to have on an industrial scale the kind of shade that I want for my products. We make shoes with soles stitched in Black or Goodyear, methods which ensure quality, durability and comfort in time.
Where is your factory located ?
The factory is located in the area of Napoli.
What is your favorite shoe from all SB models and for what reason?
From all my models the one that I prefer the most is Federico I. It is a crocodile leather single buckle monk, hand colored Goodyear stitched. I like it because it has everything I want for a shoe: comfort, good looking and timelessness.
Tell me more about the different shoe options that a Gentleman can chose from at SB…
The man that buys SB shoes is a person that appreciates the handmade product not only the style. In our factory we make different kind of models with different stitching methods such as Black, Black-rapid, Goodyear and Norwegian stitching, one of the most complex stitch in the world. Very few artisans can do it at a high level.
Do you use Italian leathers or imported leathers?
We use mainly Italian leathers and in some cases French calf leathers.
Where are SB stores located and what future plans do you have for the SB brand?
We have a showroom in Lugano and boutiques that sell our products in Jakarta, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, New York . Also we have many costumers all over the world for whom we make shoes and send them directly from the factory. In the future we intend to open showrooms in places like Moscow, Dubai and Shanghai.