Bontoni

Bontoni's roots trace to the late 1940s, when Guido Gazzani began hand-stitching shoes for other local makers out of a small basement workshop in Montegranaro, in Italy's Marche region. His sons Bruno and Manfredo continued the trade by hand through the following decades. The Bontoni brand itself was founded in 2004 by Franco Gazzani - Guido's grandson - together with his distant cousin Lewis Cutillo, with the workshop set up in what had been the family's garage. Today the atelier employs nine artisans who produce about 3,800 pairs a year, using saddle stitching sewn by hand with an awl, two needles, and waxed thread; some models carry double or triple stitching for added durability.