’A Santoni product is una meraviglia – a wonder,’ says Giuseppe Santoni. He’s referring to the multitude of steps, countless artisans and centuries of know-how it takes to create a create a single pair of Santoni shoes at the Italian accessories house founded by his father, Andrea Santoni, in Italy’s Le Marche region in 1975 (the younger Santoni is now president and chairman of the brand).
This sense of wonder infuses a new book, Santoni Meraviglia, published by Assouline to celebrate 50 years of the brand. Not simply a retrospective, Andrea Santoni describes it as an ode to the ‘dedication, creativity, and the extraordinary skills of our artisans’, unfolding over image-rich pages that capture both archival ‘treasures’ and more recent creations, and the processes behind them.
Santoni Meraviglia: the new book charting 50 years of Santoni
The evolution of Santoni’s double-buckle shoe, as featured in the new book
The book, which is authored by fashion journalist and critic Luke Leitch, also looks towards the town of Corridonia, where Santoni was founded and continues to operate. Located in the Le Marche region in central Italy, a locale synonymous with leatherwork and Made in Italy craft, Santoni Meraviglia offers an inside view of the family-run label.
‘Everyone here is family,’ says Andrea Santoni in the book, noting that every day the entire staff sit down for lunch together at the Corridonia factory. ‘We are recognised in the area as the highest-quality manufacturer,’ he continues.
‘That pride in what we make and what we represent is the glue that bonds us. There are 500 people working together here; around 300 are local, from within ten miles of here. And there are also others who have made the decision to come here and work with us because they want to be among the best of the best.’
A Santoni stitcher during thread preparation
Other pages capture Santoni’s creations in gleaming forensic detail or explore the craft behind them – like a signature hand-painting technique which gives a distinct ‘degradé’ effect. The book also explores the eclectic inspirations behind each design: from gilded Renaissance murals to the natural landscapes and colours of Le Marche, a perennial touch point.
‘The idea of the book came about as a natural extension of our desire to mark this extraordinary milestone,’ Giuseppe Santoni tells Wallpaper*. ‘Celebrating 50 years is not just a number – it’s the story of a journey, of values, of craftsmanship passed down through generations. We felt the need to create something that could serve as a lasting testament to these five remarkable decades of Meraviglia.’
‘This book is, in many ways, a biography of the brand,’ he continues. ‘Not in the conventional sense, but as a narrative of our identity, our evolution, and the people and passions that have shaped Santoni over time. It’s a tribute to our heritage, but also a reflection of our vision for the future.’
Santoni Meraviglia is available from from Santoni’s website.
-
Hanker after a 1970s supercar? The Encor Series 1 elevates the Lotus Esprit to a new levelThis limited-edition remastering of the dramatic wedge-shaped Lotus Esprit stops at nothing to improve and enhance the original without losing sight of its analogue excellence
-
A new photo book takes you behind the scenes of some of cinema's most beloved films, from 'Fargo' to 'Charlie's Angels'Set decorator Lauri Gaffin captures Hollywood's quieter moments in an arresting new book
-
This sculptural London seafood restaurant was shaped by ‘the emotions of the sea’In Hanover Square, Mazarine pairs a bold, pearlescent interior with modern coastal cuisine led by ‘bistronomy’ pioneer chef Thierry Laborde
-
At its academy, Prada sets an agenda for the future: ‘Technology cannot replace the ability to work with your hands’Wallpaper* takes a trip to the Prada Group Academy in Scandicci, Tuscany, where Prada CEO Andrea Guerra and CMO Lorenzo Bertelli outline the future of Italian craft on the institution’s 25th anniversary
-
‘I take stories from the past as a lens to consider the present’: Erdem Moralıoğlu on two decades of transporting fashionAs a new retrospective book, ‘Erdem’, is released this week, the Canada-born designer joins Wallpaper* to reflect on the last 20 years of his eponymous label. ‘Everything’s changed and yet nothing has,’ he says
-
Carla Rossi explores benchmark beauty standards in new photo book ‘Bellissima’The photographer’s new publication explores the representation of women in Italian media culture
-
‘Scripted’ is a new book that explores the dark side of beauty photographyPhotographer Alex Black’s images explore and subvert contemporary definitions of beauty – take a peek inside her new book
-
What is the relationship between fashion, photography and the domestic space? A new book exploresAdam Murray’s ‘The Domestic Stage: When Fashion Image Comes Home’ documents – and interrogates – the use of the domestic space in fashion imagery, from the 1990s to present, featuring memorable works from Corinne Day, Carrie Mae Weems and Tina Barney
-
Piers Hanmer on designing the sets for some of fashion’s most memorable imagesA new book charts the era-defining work of British set designer Piers Hanmer, who was discovered by Annie Leibovitz and went on to work on some of fashion’s most inventive imagery, including spreads in Vogue, Vanity Fair and W Magazine
-
Remembering X-girl’s notorious 1994 fashion show, which starred a pre-fame Chloë SevignyA new book by Angela Hill, ‘X-girl Show’ – featuring an introduction by Chloë Sevigny – documents the cult label’s renegade 1990s fashion show, which took place in New York and captured a changing underground look
-
With an ode to Italy, Homme Plissé Issey Miyake brings its brand of fashion magic to Florence’s Pitti UomoMarking the start of a new nomadic way of showing for the Japanese label, Homme Plissé Issey Miyake held its S/S 2026 show at Florence’s Villa Medicea della Petraia as part of Pitti Uomo last night (18 June) with a collection inspired by the colours and textures of Italy
