Despite seasonal designs, classics remain a staple, with Salvatore Ferragamo hailing its best-selling Vara as its simple, but beautiful, evergreen shoe.
Guiliano Bartolozzi.
"Eight out of 10 women wear ballerina flats," observes Guiliano Bartolozzi, a master shoemaker at the Florence-based fashion empire.
With over 55 years of experience, he travels around the world to demonstrate his craft. Absorbed in his work, the 70-something Italian holds a last in one hand, a plier and a hammer in the other, while nails seem to pop out from his mouth when needed to secure leather on the last.
"It takes patience to do a pair, and I can finish a Vara in three hours," Bartolozzi said during a recent demonstration in Bangkok, at Emporium.
Launched in 1978, the Vara was created by Fiamma, the eldest of Salvatore and Wanda Ferragamo's children. Describing the design as "both sporty and elegant", she gave it a low heel and round toe; and a small oval decoration and grosgrain ribbon bow.
A contemporary take on the classic, Varina carries a silhouette of a ballet flat with a golden plate and iconic fabric bow.
"Shoe designs change according to era, seasons and customers' needs," he said. "Fewer handcrafted shoes will be available though since the young generation are not interested in becoming a shoemaker."
The difficulty begins right from hammering the first nail at exactly the right position, in order to continue the correct nailing and achieve the required silhouette.
Other key steps in making a Vara include inserting a heel counter and the top cap between the upper and lower lining to ensure support and flexibility to the front and back of the shoe. This Ferragamo component adds durability and comfort to offer the best fit. In the early 1920s, the brand founder even studied human anatomy, chemical engineering and mathematics at the University of Southern California -- in order to make shoes with the perfect fit. His inventions include a steel shank lying inside the insole, with its function to support the arch of the foot in order to ensure stability and comfort.
Western and Asian feet are of different sizes and the Italian brand places importance in giving people the perfect pair, with a wide range of sizes as well as customisation, such as in material and colour.
Soft materials such as goatskin and calf leather enhance comfortable wear, Bartolozzi noted, while their stretchability makes it easier for shoemakers to work with. Kid or nappa leather are used for linings as they allow feet to breathe.
The colours used are natural ones, often aniline which exalts the leather's natural features while making it more durable.
"The beauty of shoes comes from all parts whether the silhouette, the leather, the stitching," said the veteran shoemaker. "But first and foremost, shoes must offer comfortability to give you happy feet."
Women autumn 2015.
