The Italian Art of Shoemaking: Works of Art in Leather

The timing of the release of The Italian Art of Shoemaking: Works of Art in Leather is curious as it seems to encourage a comparison to a very recently released book honoring the anniversary of another heritage shoe brand, Berluti. This book not only honors and celebrates the Moreschi brand but it memorializes, romanticizes, and applauds the legacy of a family whose roots are in the art of shoemaking.

The obvious differences are that one can observe is that Berluti was steeped in bespoke, while Moreschi makes ready-made footwear, which is partly due to the age difference of more than half a century, Berluti being the senior of the two. Moreschi has a ubiquitous brand presence throughout Europe and yet once again like Berluti is not very well known in the United States.

Without a doubt, the book offers the reader an education in the art of shoemaking. It also opens a dialog about a privately owned family business. In today’s world of fashion there are so few large brands that still retain family ownership, which means Moreschi incorporates into its product and its manufacture a great sense of pride and history.

The more educated reader will easily see what makes Moreschi a distinctive brand and will quickly recognize its inherent and particular characteristics especially when compared to the likes of a Berluti or any other premium shoe brand. Moreschi is quite dissimilar from many other brands as it has launched brand extensions and collaborations that truly run counter to most other brands. In particular, Moreschi has allied itself with Antinori wines in a way that will be unimaginable to many and yet brilliantly logical.

The visuals are beautiful and help the reader to quite literally understand the text without any further explanation; the photos expose the reader to the particular attributes and features of a Moreschi shoe. Author Morozzi also affords the reader a family history as well as a brief geography lesson of that region of Italy. In full, this is an easy read for anyone who is on the lookout for more knowledge and more information pertaining to heritage brands that are not necessarily on the radar for most.

The Italian Art of Shoemaking: Works of Art in Leather is entertaining as well as informative. Recommended.