Material Explained
Shell Cordovan: The Leather That Ages Like Wine
Published · 1 min read · ORBIS Editorial
Cordovan is not cowhide's rich cousin; it is a different anatomy — the dense shell beneath a horse's haunch.
“It rolls where calf creases and shines where calf scuffs, which is the entire cult in one sentence.”
Article references
From the Atlas
- A.Testoni Bologna / Online
Bologna shoemaker since 1929 — Amedeo Testoni's Bolognese construction method defines lightweight Italian footwear craftsmanship. store page → · open in the atlas → - Alviero Martini 1a Classe Milan / Online
Italian leather goods brand launched in 1991 by designer Alviero Martini, built around his geo map print inspired by an antique map he found in a Moscow bookshop in the mid-1980s; flagship stores in Milan and Rome. store page → · open in the atlas → - Aquazzura Florence / Online
Edgardo Osorio’s Aquazzura makes glamorous shoes in Florence with wearability built into the construction. Palazzo Corsini, the pineapple emblem and celebration-ready heels give the house its identity, while production remains associated with Italy. store page → · open in the atlas → - Benheart Via Della Vigna Nuova, Florence / Online
Young Florentine leather label — handmade jackets and sneakers with a heart-transplant founding story. store page → · open in the atlas → - Bontoni Montegranaro / Marche / Online
Montegranaro shoemaker founded in 2004 by third-generation cobbler Franco Gazzani and his cousin Lewis Cutillo; nine artisans hand-stitch roughly 3,800 pairs a year using an awl and waxed thread. store page → · open in the atlas →