Antonia Micheletti

Shoemaker

©Stefano Iori

The footwear magician

Antonia is well known all over the world
Her women’s shoes are bespoke and handmade
She has specialist anatomical knowledge

A former student of Medicine, from her tiny workshop in the centre of Reggio Emilia, Antonia Micheletti has become a renowned women’s shoemaker. Paying the greatest attention to the feet of the women asking for a pair of shoes, boots or sandals, Antonia works using her hands with ancient wisdom. She mixes traditional techniques with her anatomic knowledge of feet and the spine, to create personalised footwear to be in harmony with the unique needs of her clients. For this purpose, she uses a large number of templates, moulds and wooden forms, which she slowly adjusts with detail-oriented care. Her shoes are conceived to last many years, without losing their elegance.

Interview

©Stefano Iori

©Stefano Iori

How did you choose this craft?: I couldn’t find comfortable shoes, they all hurt. So I wanted to learn to make women’s shoes. But it’s really complex, it requires a long training: footwear is crucial for the wellbeing of the spine, of the whole person. If your feet hurt, it’s impossible to think.
What does making shoes mean to you?: I get great personal satisfaction from this profession. I've learned a lot, I’ve had the chance to be independent. From an expressive point of view, making shoes has been a self-discovery. It’s also been a compensation for some hard parts of my life.
What are your specialisations?: I work on customised wooden forms. Every foot, every leg has its own form. It takes weeks of work to transfer a single anatomic structure into a personal model. Then, I have to find the right heel and finally I try to create a modern but lasting style.
Could your craft be considered in danger?: It is, even if there are young people interested. Making women’s shoes requires a big stock of materials and tools to start, so it's an important investment. It's also very time consuming, as the rhythms of this craft haven’t changed since the Middle Ages.

Antonia Micheletti is an expert artisan: she began her career in 1990