The long and fascinating history of handcrafted sandals is frirst and foremost linked to the Mediterranean: the sandal is basically the first type of shoe that man ever wore.
The earliest sandal prototypes date back to about 2 millennia ago, when many Mediterranean peoples already used to wear a typical shoe with leather laces fastened to the ankle so to make sure the foot had a stiff and durable sole suitable for long journeys. It was later used by the ancient Egyptians and successively by the nearest Romans. In fact, Emperor Tiberius, the ruler who used to hang out on the island, first brought the sandals to Capri where he later moved permanently. Here he inspired first the inhabitants and fishermen and then the local craftsmen who specialized precisely in crafting these shoes that used to be worn even by the empire’s wealthiest women on great occasions.
The fame that made them so popular in modern times has a very specific beginning: it was the 1940s when Diana Vreeland, an American journalist of French origin, then the editor of Vogue America, noticed this type of footwear reproduced on one of the famous mosaics kept in Pompeii. She then landed on Capri and discovered that local artisans knew how to create this type of footwear, and there she fell in love with it, sensing its novelty and potential attractiveness to the jet-set. A very simple strip of leather between the big toe and the next toe, secured by a strap tied around the ankle that all the divas of the time loved to wear to have their portraits taken as they strolled the narrow streets of the island: from Audrey Hepburn to Brigitte Bardot, from Sophia Loren to Julia Roberts, from Princess Soraya to Grace Kelly.
However, only with Jackie Kennedy -the quintessential icon of style and elegance – Capri sandals were consigned to immortality and shown on the magazines the world over.
Originating as a handmade shoe, the Capri sandal is also an expression of ancient methods and workmanship treasured in artisan families from generation to generation, where masterpieces are created through precise gestures and rhythmic steps that enchant all visitors passing by in the historic workshops.
There are many essential tricks that give life to the perfection of a true handcrafted sandal, and like any self-respecting tradition they are often highly secret tricks. Among the others, those that help us recognize the authenticity of these production:
-The making of the sole done through layers of leather that are never glued with each other, instead overlapped and stitched to convey strength ;
– mignon straps and bands are nailed to the sole with very small pegs – called semenze (seeds)-, to provide them with tightness;
– the materials used are always first-rate, and this is evident not only in the typical look and smell of quality leather, but also in the label (vero cuoio Toscano – genuine Tuscan leather and 100% made in Italy) certifying its origin.
The idea of producing Rasoterra handnailed sandals rises from the encouter of two friends, Maria Grazia and Gabriella, sharing an obsession for Capri and its typical sandals with their distinctively classy style.
The memory of the same sandals worn by their sweet grandmothers…the times when they would secretly run to measure them up and imitate their elegant and confident stride had accompanied them for as long as they could remember. Then one day, on the way back from Isla Mujeres in Mexico, an American girl, looking at the flat and braided sandals worn by one of them on the little boat immediately recognized t h e i r provenance and uniqueness. This is the whole story is all a b o u t : these shoes are able t o hold a memory, create bonds, mark a belonging, and pass on an ancient tradition along with countless stories.
“Rasoterra” as their characteristic low-heeled leather sole: originally the only type available that ensured a comfortable fit to walk on all types of terrain.
The story of Rasoterra is quite recent, but not the one of the craftsmen who currently manufacture its different collections: born into art and raised in artisan workshops shrouded by the fascinating smell of Tuscan leather. Today’s Rasoterra collection has safeguarded the recognizability of this iconic object that is the result o f ancient traditions, while embedding innovation and modern trends and introducing a new shopping experience that engages t h e user in the design and customization of each model.
Our desire is to bring a land steeped in history and unmistakable style closer to the many women and girls around the world who already know the handnailed sandals and also to those who have yet to learn about them and who may one day come and visit those places that gave them life.
info@sandalirasoterra.it
