By Giansandro Cantori, photos by Stefano Triulzi
It’s a lovely place – warm, welcoming and steeped in history – and one you’d hope will never change.
The world would be a lot poorer without these living embodiments of craft and tradition.
Savoia is a small boutique located in the heart of Milan, where educated clientele make a repeat-pilgrimage to commission a pair of bespoke shoes made by-the-book and crafted by an intimate crew of bookmakers working both on-site and directly from their own homes.
A charming place that is purposefully a bit old-fashioned, providing quality leather products (from shoes to luggage, accessories and even trousers, jacket, shirts pullovers) to a discerning clientele. A welcoming reception and a polite staff is the icing on the proverbial cake.
Founded in 1925, but based on the experience of master boot makers who made boots for the Savoia Cavalleria regiment located in the Milanese barracks of Via Vincenzo Monti, Stivaleria Savoia has always been a laboratory – atelier with its own highly specialized craftsmen
Some members of the Royal family became regular customers and Mussolini himself had a few pairs of boots made (one is still kept in a memorabilia case in the family tomb in Predappio). The post-war period marked the transition to a predominantly civilian clientele, because the military gradually eliminated the use of boots
Stivaleria Savoia began its activity in 1925, when Giuseppe Ballini took over the workshop from the old owners, shoemakers of the cavalry regiments who had followed one another since 1870 in the traditional headquarters in via Vincenzo Monti, street in which they had an external office where they carried out the work for private and civil customers with the name of Calzoleria Savoia. It was Ballini who changed the name to Stivaleria Savoia. He devoted himself mainly to making boots both for military use and for all horse riding and hunting specialties.
The company was acquired by famous Neapolitan tiemaker E. Marinella in 2004, and has since produced a line of E. Marinella branded shoes in addition to the regular Stivaleria Savoia collections.
In the wake of tradition, today the Stivaleria Savoia has passed from the Marinella to the Giulini family, who have always been great connoisseurs and distributors of the best English brands manufactured in Northampton, such as Tricker’s and John Lobb and sellers of the best Anglo-American and Italian brands through an another iconic brand located in the Brera area and an absolute reference for any Milanese and international gentleman who love the world of high end shoes, made to measure and Bespoke products, ILIPRANDI.
Today, an important percent of production, is oriented towards shoes-Savoia bespoke is a survivor of handcrafting. From here, a constant and renewed success. Currently, Stefano Giulini and his sister Nicole manage the shop.
In the adjacent workshop, some craftsmen still make custom-made shoes and boots for horse riding, polo and other sports disciplines: each customer has his own model in wood on which the shoe is made. These shapes are numbered and kept.
And new and well known boots brands, Like Fasciani represent for the made to measure, including female clients.
The shop also carries Church and Edward Green and Crockett & Jones good year welted models. In addition to the saddlery with particular interest in polo, some items of clothing from important English and Italian houses ,an international classy and outfitter mix, elegant charming and sporty lifestyle world for discerning gentlemen and gentlewomen
My father Alessandro was a famous cobbler in Milan of the 70s and my remembering are liked to some shoe brands like Albertini, Arcando, and last Stivaleria Savaoia as the top of the Pyradmid market of bench shoes in Milan.
I am very happy that, after so long time, still a family business leads such a prestigious and historic brand.
The future of craftmanship and quality is in the hands of those entrepreneurs who want to make business in this way, because it isn’t just a matter of money but a love story.
Long life to Stivaleria Savoia.
