Italian Kicks

SCARPA, Zanotti, Superga. For aficionados of Italian style sneakers these are part of the pantheon of fashionable athletic foot gear. Casual shoes that have transitioned from hard core sports to become haute shoe couture.  One of our favorites is SCARPA sneakers inspired by the climbing culture of Italy’s Montebelluna region in the Northern Veneto. A shoe lovers paradise (Geox and Trezeta are also based here), SCARPA, which by the way means shoe in Italian, is also an acronym for the Società Calzaturiera Asolana Riunita Pedemontana Anonima, which means Associated Shoe Manufacturing Company of the Asolo Mountain Area, a part of Italy well-known for handcrafted footwear. The cult classic SCARPA Mojito Suede Sneaker would be a prize addition to anyone’s kick collection. Made from Italian leather it traces its lineage to the traditions of hiking, trekking and mountaineering shoes for which the company is known for.

Revered worldwide for their style, materials and an unrelenting attention to quality and craftsmanship, Italian shoes  are part of a unique tradition that makes them on my shopping radar when traveling in Italy or back in the States.