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| Picture Courtesy of Bergdorf Goodman |
Not that I could really afford to purchase a Bontoni shoe “just like that,” but I find it such a crying shame for the sake of the customer that can afford “just like that” (as well as the growth of the idea of great Italian-made shoes) that you don’t see them at other stockists around Europe, or anywhere outside of the US for that matter….yet to me, they are seriously among the best RTW makers in Italy, if not THE best. Even though most of their shoes are constructed with Black Rapid stitching, they use soles that are so thick, of high quality and thus being extremely durable that I would not be surprised if one pair lasted you just as long as your goodyear welted counterpart. A Bontoni shoe (for those that have not see them) is truly a piece of art, especially for a RTW shoe. The same went for Stefano Bemer’s RTW collection, as I am sure that Riccardo Bestetti’s is too. The fact that these 3 brands, among the many others in Italy, such as Paolo Scafora or Enzo Bonafe don’t make it to the big time like the English factories do, and thus get slept on as “great makers” somewhat saddens me. And while I do believe that there is a lot rubbish in Italy that may now be harming the idea of great shoemakers in Italy, one is not to forget that there are still great artisans out there making some of the best shoes in the world….And Bontoni, as you can see, is definitely one of them….So to the shoe store owners out there, I implore you start looking at makers such as Bontoni to start stocking your shop…..
I own a number of pairs of Bontoni MTO’s and each pair are goodyear welted, so I believe that the blake rapid applies mostly to the RTW side which you mention above. They are truly a work of art, thanks for posting this.