Giuseppe Santoni talked to Teo van den Broeke about his love of quality, craftsmanship and style, and gave a unique insight into building the Santoni brand, keeping it relevant through innovation, and what it takes to be a luxury brand in a saturated market. He gave our students valuable lessons in sustainability and branding and shared the fascinating story behind the unique Santoni orange sole.
Teo Van Den Broeke is an award-winning writer and journalist; focusing on style, watches and grooming. He has written for several globally renowned publications such as GQ, Esquire, and the Financial Times. He has held titles such as Style Director at British Esquire and GQ’s Style and Grooming Director. Teo is now also Global Editorial Director Soho House and has released his book The Closet, detailing his coming-of-age journey with his style identity.
About Giuseppe Santoni
Giuseppe Santoni grew up in the world of luxury shoes, as his father Andrea founded the renowned brand.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Giuseppe masterminded the brand’s international expansion, opening markets in Japan, China, Northern Europe, and Russia, and establishing Santoni as a leading name in Italian luxury shoes by combining tradition and innovation, with a singular focus on quality.
Under his vision and leadership, Santoni’s Corridonia global headquarters was designed as a hub for advanced technology and environmental sustainability.
Santoni has many celebrity brand ambassadors and he shared that George Clooney featured a pair of distinctive Santoni shoes in an iconic coffee commercial!
Keeping a Heritage Brand Modern
Mr. Santoni talked about keeping the brand modern by innovation, and shared details of the unique rubber sole for the iconic Santoni loafer, which has proved true to the brand, and so popular for both men and women. He ensures that the shoes are supremely comfortable by testing every new style himself.
Customers of Santoni are focused on excellence, quality and craftsmanship, and Mr Santoni emphasised the importance of building a local team of loyal craftspeople and artisans who have worked for Santoni for many years. In 2022, his dedication to his staff earned him the title “Cavaliere del Lavoro” from the Italian President, recognising his contribution to the community and the social sector.
Advice for our students:
- Building a luxury shoe brand is about staying focused on the brand’s values of excellence, craftsmanship, and quality
- Keeping your brand relevant by constantly innovating
- Focus on sustainability
- Treat your team of craftsmen and artisans well to maintain the levels of excellence, craftsmanship, and quality
Images by James Mason Photography
