Venice Welcome Magazine n 60 September 2021.pdf

SHOPPING

A blend of luxury and sustainability

The classic Venetian slippers known as ‘furlane’ carrying the name of Piedàterre, can be purchased at a charming, brightly-coloured boutique located at the foot of the Rialto Bridge. By Giulia Minero

The story behind furlane, the classic

Venetian slippers with the rubber sole used by gondoliers to prevent them scuffing the precious woodwork of their gondolas, is inextricably linked to the peasant culture of the nearby region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. At the end of the

Piedàterre boutique, where the footwear becomes art

Second World War, shortages inflicted by the war meant that leather shoes were inaccessible to most of the population. This resulted in the idea of using old bicycle tires for the soles, jute sacks used to carry grain as padding, and recycled scraps of material for the uppers. Hence the birth of the furlane. Credit for their widespread use in Venice goes to a small stall at the foot of the Rialto

Bridge, where the Piedàterre boutique now stands, which has been handcrafting furlane using traditional techniques for decades, but with the addition of innovative designs and fabrics. At Piedàterre, lovers of light, comfortable footwear can also find slippers inspired by the 18th centuryopulence of the Serenissima, including ‘veneziane’ and ‘sabot’, all sewn by hand and embellished with velvet or oriental silks. More discerning customers, searching for a unique pair of furlane slip-ons, can bring their own fabric and have a pair custom-made by the boutique’s expert artisans. Piedàterre handcrafts bespoke footwear for men, women and children.

>> Piedàterre San Polo, 60 - Rialto T: 041 5285513. Map E4 www.piedaterre-venice.com

24 VENICE THE WELCOME MAGAZINE I SEPTEMBER 2021