Born at the end of the second world war, these shoes were and still are produced in the countryside of the close Friuli Venezia Giulia region (North-East Italy), using offset materials such as old bicycle tyre - for the waterproof sole; jute sacks for the soles cushioning; fabrics and rags coming from old dresses or found by chance for the shoe uppers. Born therefore as emergency shoes, home made at no costs, substitute of the longed but economically not reachable leather shoes, thanks to their low cost and to the right intuition of some Friuli inhabitants they began to spread in Venice, where, among the others, where worn by the gondoliers because the rubber sole didn't ruin the Gondolas varnish.
 
Venice was visited by Friulian women who, with wickers baskets used to sell their sleepers walking through the "Calli" and "Campielli". One of those Friulian obtained from the Venetian Authority the autorization to open a stall on the Rialtos bridge. Here, still today, it is possible to find and buy the old "furlane shoes" made with old bicycle tyre together with new models designed by the flair of the new Furlan and venetian generations. An example are the "Veneziane" and "Sabot" (inspired to the Venetian XVIII century fashion), made by velvet or coloured Oriental silks, but all strictly assembled with the characteritic hand made seam. If you want to have them personalized, send us the fabric you like and we will made them up only for you!

history

gallery
info
contact
home