The Artisan and the Designer

 

The remarkable Italian artisan factory Scarpedarte and designer Nina Hjorth have worked together for many years. This year we took our collaboration further and together created a collection of beautifully designed and skilfully made luxury shoes.

Nina, a designer with an MA from the Royal College of Art in London and many years of dedicated design experience. Alberto & Sergio Bianchi, the owners of Scarpedarte and a father/ son enterprise. Sergio has more than 50 years of experience as a shoe maker and together they effortlessly bring Nina’s designs to life.

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Meet the Founders

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Sergio Bianchi: I got my first job as a trainee shoemaker in 1967 and have been perfecting my making skills ever since. In 1973 I opened my first factory, and today we go by the name Scapedarte. It is a great joy to work with my son Alberto at the factory. We are a great team as I mainly enjoy being on the factory floor making shoes and overseeing production, while Alberto is great at managing the business and keeping our clients happy.

 

Alberto Bianchi: I grew up playing on the factory floor while shoes were being crafted and have learned the trade through the blood. I love the sense of community we share with our manufacturing partners. It takes on average 30 components to make one pair of shoes! We work with the best local artisans skilled in their particular craft, be it sole making, heel making or leathers. We have enjoyed working with Nina over the years and I always had an idea we could do a great collection together. I am excited to see this dream come to life.

 

Nina Hjorth:

I have been working in Italy since 2009 and love the skill and understanding for quality, shape and know-how that come with each specialised artisan. I lean on the expertise of each during the development process and each design is a truly collaborative effort. In designing I am obsessed with detail and simplicity at the same time. I love Victorian fashion and as the collections progress each season you will recognise that. I also believe a product must always be contemporary and wearable. 

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We look forward to share our journey with you.