This is Bespoke Italian Sandal Making
More Than Footwear. A Thriving Tradition.
You can recognise it instantly — the silhouette, the simplicity, the kind of elegance that never needs to try, yet always holds attention.
These aren’t just sandals. They are heritage you can wear, a tradition kept alive in the hands of Italian artisans.
A Craft Shaped by Time and PlaceÂ
The roots of Italian sandal making reach back centuries, to the days of the Roman Empire, when footwear was simple, functional, and built by hand for movement and protection.
In time, the craft found its home in the fishing villages of southern Italy. Here, sandals were still made with the simplest of tools, shaped from soft leathers, and designed to fit the pace of everyday life. Practical. Enduring. Made to serve.
And then, the season changed.Â
In the 1940s and 50s, the Amalfi Coast and Capri began to draw travellers from around the world, jet setters, artists, and holidaymakers in search of beauty, style, and sea air. And with them came a new chapter for the sandal.Â
By the 60s, women like Jackie Onassis, Sophia Loren, and Grace Kelly were photographed strolling those same cobbled streets in custom Italian sandals, timeless, minimal, unmistakably elegant. Handmade by artisans whose families had been practising the craft for generations.
What began in the quiet workshops of coastal villages was now worn on the world stage.
Each sandal is, and has always been, a conversation between the maker and the wearer.
Your foot is measured, the leathers and details are chosen, and your pair is handcrafted in minutes — shaped around your foot, made to reflect your style.
This is more than shopping. It is personal. It is an experience that honours both the craft and the individual.
At Sandal School, we carry that tradition forward. In the footsteps of artisans who came before us, we’re making this experience, and the skill behind it, more accessible to women around the world.
Women who want to create with care. To build something lasting. To be part of something meaningful.
By honouring this heritage and passing it on with integrity, we help ensure it continues — not only for us, but for our children and the generations to come.
Learn the Craft