Style -- 12 hours ago
Inside Santoni's 50th anniversary celebrations
To celebrate half a century in business, Italian luxury shoemaker Santoni staged a special memorabilia exhibition
Santoni has a rich history. The luxury Italian label was founded in 1975 by Andrea Santoni and has been making unbeatable footwear ever since. Upholding traditional craftsmanship processes while incorporating top tier materials and manufacturing, Santoni, which is based in Corridonia, a town in the Marche region of Italy, started off as a humble shoemaker, but since the 1990s it has become globally recognised as a key player in the global luxury footwear market.
So how does a footwear brand celebrate 50 years? A new shoe, perhaps? Two new shoes? A special memorabilia exhibition during Milan Fashion Week? A fabulous dinner? All of those things? Well, that's exactly what Santoni has done.
The celebrations took centre stage at Galleria Meravigli during Milan Fashion Week, where the brand put on an exhibition that invited guests to be part of the Santoni world. The label also hosted a dinner with guests such as Sharon Stone and Kelly Rutherford. The photographic series and collection called Meraviglia – Makers of Beauty for 50 Years is a tribute and thank you to the artisans and visionaries who have crafted the label's storied journey with unrivalled prevision, care and expertise.
On show is the Meraviglia photographic series by London-based portrait and documentary photographer Jack Davison, who as lensed the likes of Leonardo Dicaprio, Jennifer Lopez, Brad Pitt and Kate Winslet. For Santoni, he has captured the artisans who have dedicated their time and practice to making Santoni's excellent footwear, and somehow through static image, he has brought the processes to life.
Alongside Davison's imagery, the exhibition also reveals the Objects of Marvel, which showcases the artisanal tools that are used to construct the shoes. The instruments are weathered, and the handles show the wear and dedication of the people behind the shoes.
And of course, it wouldn't be a celebration of the rich history of Santoni without a collection of, well, shoes and leather goods. The experience culminates with the Meraviglia collection, which spans both men's and women's footwear and small leather bags. Intended to showcase the rich heritage of Santoni, the artisans behind it used intricate leatherwork to create the best grade shoes in the brand's roster.
The men's collection consists of an archival pair of lace-ups rich, alongside loafers that are in equal parts light and sturdy, and double buckles, which have been made with the Uniqua construction, sculpting a single piece of leather with remarkable precision. The shoes aren't just striking because of their constructions though. To celebrate the half century birthday of Santoni, each has been cast in an iridescent shade of Blu Meraviglia, which comes to life through Velatura, the brand's hand-applied colouring technique. Each shoe has also been given a the Santoni Culture emblem, which takes the form of a special symbol created for the 50th anniversary.
Meanwhile the bags on offer are suitable for work or play, and are cut and sewn in the same way. An iridescent blue and black laptop bag? We're sold.
The collection will be available to buy in stores and online at santoni.com from September 2025.
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