{"id":494991,"date":"2026-06-16T05:02:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T05:02:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/494991\/"},"modified":"2026-06-16T05:02:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T05:02:11","slug":"italian-footwear-brand-ilio-smeraldo-launches-mens-shoes-at-pitti-uomo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/494991\/","title":{"rendered":"Italian Footwear Brand Ilio Smeraldo Launches Men\u2019s Shoes at Pitti Uomo"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tMILAN \u2014\u00a0Italian brand\u00a0Ilio Smeraldo<\/a>\u00a0is stepping into the men\u2019s arena.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe brand, founded by Barbara Borghini<\/a> with the co-creative direction of Maria de la Orden and known for its different takes on the classic Venetian unisex furlane slippers, is expanding its relaxed aesthetic to men starting with the spring 2027 collection.<\/p>\n

\n\tTo be unveiled this week at the Pitti Uomo<\/a> trade show, the range draws inspiration from the rebellious iconography of the \u201870s in easy-to-understand styles spanning from the Saint Germain refined loafers and their tasseled version Rivoli, to the Newport soft slip-ons and the Mayfer reinterpreted ballet flat.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"The<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tThe Saint Germain loafers in burgundy raffia and suede by Ilio Smeraldo.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Ilio Smeraldo<\/p>\n

\n\tAll styles are crafted in an array of premium materials, including supple leather, velvety suede, shiny satin and woven raffia. The wide color palette includes neutrals such as black, ivory, navy and taupe along with earthy tones of cocoa, caramel, oregano, burgundy and vibrant marigold that amplify the simple lines of the collection.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn an interview with WWD, Borghini<\/a> said introducing a proposition for men was a natural evolution for the brand. \u201cOver time, we noticed that more and more male clients were already purchasing the larger sizes from our women\u2019s collections. That made us realize there was a genuine demand for Ilio Smeraldo for a male audience as well,\u201d she said, adding that the time was right \u201cbecause the demand kept growing organically.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"The<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tThe Rivoli loafers in navy suede by Ilio Smeraldo.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Ilio Smeraldo<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe creative process is essentially the same as the one we have for women, because many of our styles already have a natural unisex identity. We approach design in a very instinctive and authentic way, focusing on comfort, functionality and timeless aesthetics rather than creating strict distinctions between men\u2019s and women\u2019s products,\u201d Borghini continued. She confirmed the new category will follow the same positioning and distribution strategy of the women\u2019s counterpart, too, which is available at retailers such as Chapters in Milan and Samaritaine and Le Bon March\u00e9 in Paris.<\/p>\n

\n\tBorn as a\u00a0direct-to-consumer project, Ilio Smeraldo has carved a niche for offering unfussy yet well-made styles, fit for everyday occasions with their understated appeal and competitive price point, which averages between 150 euros and 250 euros.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"The<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tThe Mayfer leather style by Ilio Smeraldo.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Ilio Smeraldo<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cOur customer is someone who values comfort, practicality and lightness \u2014 someone cosmopolitan, who travels frequently and appreciates versatile products,\u201d Borghini said.\u00a0\u201cMore than thinking about age or categories, we think about a lifestyle and a mindset. Our shoes are incredibly flexible and lightweight, to the point that some styles can literally be folded and easily packed into a suitcase. They are designed for people who are always moving, who appreciate ease and functionality without compromising on style.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"The<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tThe Newport satin design by Ilio Smeraldo.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Ilio Smeraldo<\/p>\n

\n\tThe brand was revamped starting in April 2025 with an enhanced focus on spotlighting the craftsmanship behind its assortment. To be sure, all shoes are crafted in Tuscany by local artisans and mainly deploy locally sourced materials.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe artisanal know-how is the real value behind the brand,\u201d Borghini said.\u00a0\u201cWe are deeply committed to supporting and protecting Italian craftsmanship and the incredible expertise that has been passed down from generation to generation, but that is unfortunately disappearing more and more today. Building and strengthening this artisanal supply chain is one of the most important missions for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"The<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tThe Saint Germain loafers in black leather by Ilio Smeraldo.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Ilio Smeraldo<\/p>\n

\n\tTo spotlight this expertise, Ilio Smeraldo has leveraged the buzz around the\u00a0furlane\u00a0slippers by offering new, hybrid takes. The brand\u2019s women\u2019s collections<\/a> so far have seen\u00a0feminine sandals and ballerinas embellished with bows; bandana-like and fringed suede versions with a Western appeal; more urban takes with croc-embossed effects or classic penny loafer shapes \u2014 all featuring\u00a0furlane\u2019s distinctive soles made of recycled tires, which were originally intended to allow gondoliers to have a firm grip while rowing without scratching the surface of gondolas.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tIlio Smeraldo<\/a> shares the same production and distribution of Borghini\u2019s other footwear<\/a> brand, Giaborghini, but it remains a separate entity when it comes to the creative and strategic sides.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Barbara<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tBarbara Borghini<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Ilio Smeraldo<\/p>\n

\n\tYet both brands are known for their collaboration activity<\/a>, with Ilio Smeraldo\u2019s newest one developed with the Caraluna concept store, as reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe don\u2019t follow a rigid or predefined collaboration strategy. Our partnerships are always very organic and based on instinct, chemistry and shared values,\u201d Borghini said. She\u2019s open to considering similar projects for the men\u2019s category in the future, but \u201cright now, we want the focus to remain entirely on the product, without distracting the customer from what we believe is the true strength of the collection,\u201d she concluded.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"MILAN \u2014\u00a0Italian brand\u00a0Ilio Smeraldo\u00a0is stepping into the men\u2019s arena. The brand, founded by Barbara Borghini with the co-creative…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":494992,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[146,20730,85,46,2971,228056,132496],"class_list":["post-494991","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","tag-entertainment","tag-footwear","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-italy","tag-mens-footwear","tag-pitti-uomo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/494991","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=494991"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/494991\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/494992"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=494991"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=494991"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=494991"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}