’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.
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