Here we see modelled in the Piazza del Popolo, in the town of Ascoli Piceno in Le Marche, Italy, a classically elegant pair of Santoni slingbacks, made from fine sky-blue patent leather at the brand’s factory nearby.
Its versatile mid-heel is the Goldilocks of women’s shoes: just right when paired with any hem length and for any occasion. It’s all about balance, and whether you opt for a mini skirt, oversized trousers or an elegant capri pant, these slingbacks will finesse the look.
The keynote here is elegance, evident in the tapered toe, strap with two buckles and the leather sole. The 4.5cm mid-height heel is easy to wear and makes for a pair of shoes that work well for both day and night.
The double buckle is a Santoni signature, a design that hugs and accentuates the heel. As are the colours that the label’s shoes come in – this style is also made in a glossy patent yellow.
Patent leather has its uniform shiny finish, of course, but most Santoni shoes come in calf leather that is hand-painted. This process, called Velatura, means that the shoes have a depth of colour that makes each pair unique.
As well as preserving the traditional shoemaker’s art, Santoni, founded in 1975, is also committed to moving with the times. Last year it introduced the Easy collection, a range for men and women featuring a specially developed uber-light rubber compound sole, each shoe weighing only 295 grams. Choose a proper leather shoe – with all the comfort of a trainer – or opt for the slick Easy Bounce sneaker, the latest in the line, which is a cool, understated trainer with hints of orange that make it as stylish as it is comfortable.
‘People now want to have something a bit elegant and chic but also light and comfortable,’ says Giuseppe Santoni, president and chairman of the company.
‘It’s like when I started to wear stretch pants – they were much more comfortable than normal cotton pants. So, this is like that – basically this is like wearing a sneaker but still looking like an elegant person.’
The elegance doesn’t stop at shoes for Santoni, which also offers a selection of small leather goods and a range of bags. What makes a Santoni bag so different is each one is hand-cut, sewn and coloured using the same Velatura glazing technique as with Santoni shoes, which takes two days to complete. The bags are then polished and the result, thanks to the subtly varied shades, is that no two pieces are the same.
