In an origin story more reminiscent of a tech start-up than a luxury-leather-goods brand, Andrea Santoni founded his business in a garage with only five employees and the aim of scaling artisanal shoemaking—think of him as the Henry Ford of luxury footwear. The year was 1975, and Santoni was eager to differentiate his wares from the largely subdued offerings typically available to men. By adopting the Renaissance-era velatura painting technique, layering watercolor-like dyes onto leather before buffing the surface to a glassy sheen, Santoni quickly made a name for himself.
Though initial offerings were heavy on inky blues and unusual browns, the atelier now offers a full spectrum of colors and treatments, ranging from saturated solids to dramatic ombrés. Today, the artistic bent also extends to Santoni’s sophisticated shapes and proportions—chiseled, elongated toes and elegantly swooped vamps— found in styles ranging from double-buckle loafers to oxford brogues. Giuseppe Santoni, current chairman and executive president (and Andrea’s son), says that Santoni customers “appreciate unique pieces and valuable products,” but insists that “they are not followers of fashion.”
The company now employs about 600 artisans in a 300,000-square-foot factory in Corridonia, Italy. So valuable are they to the business that one worker I spoke with could spare only 15 minutes. While many luxury brands are lamenting the loss of such specialized knowledge as seasoned craftspeople retire, Santoni is insuring itself with the Accademia dell’Eccellenza, a fully funded educational program. But don’t be misled by the business’s scale: Though the retail line involves some machinery, made-to-measure shoes—such as the Carter double monk straps featured here—are 100 percent handmade. The price is $7,830 for your first pair but drops to $4,350 for your next. “As we say, time is luxury,” notes Santoni. “And to produce Santoni shoes, it takes a lot of time.”
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1. Fine Hide
Image Credit: Courtesy of Santoni A luxury item is only as good as the quality of its materials. To achieve the saturated colors that are Santoni’s signature, the company prefers using the finest white hides, which are inspected by hand for any natural occlusions such as scratches or wrinkles. For this style, the workshop opts for calf leather.
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2. Pattern Placement
Image Credit: Courtesy of Santoni Where others may be tempted to create as many pairs of shoes as possible from a single hide, Santoni cutters avoid any less-than-smooth sections. When placing the patterns, they must
also consider the leather’s thickness and pliability, as such variations inform where a particular piece is placed within a shoe. -
3. Cut and Dry
Image Credit: Courtesy of Santoni Once the components have been cut, the shoe begins to take shape, with the upper being stitched together by hand. Then, a combination of water and a mild proprietary soap is applied, making the leather more malleable so that it can be formed around a last, where it will mature, aided by hot air, for two to three weeks.
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4. Sole Stitched
Image Credit: Courtesy of Santoni After the upper has been molded around the last, the sole is stitched on by hand. The double monk straps pictured feature a Goodyear welted sole, though the type of sole can differ based on the style of shoe (and customer preference with made-to-measure orders)
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5. Paint Layers
Image Credit: Courtesy of Santoni Depending on the desired coloring, the time required for Santoni’s velatura process can vary from hours to days. White leather enables the team to create unusual shades, but the process also works with colored leather. Artisans apply up to 15 layers of water-based paint and allow each coat to dry before adding another. For these double monk straps, the technique takes several days.
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6. Happy Feet
Image Credit: Courtesy of Santoni “The feeling we want to give with orange details is one of happiness,” says Giuseppe Santoni of the signature soles and linings. Instead of velatura’s thin layers, this process involves brushing on a much thicker paint formulation for durability.
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7. Hand Brushing
Image Credit: Courtesy of Santoni The finish is still quite matte after the color has been applied to the uppers. Once the final layer has dried, beeswax is added, then brushed by hand to create a high shine.
