• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Bonora and g. marini

Thracozaag

Distinguished Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2002
Messages
3,093
Reaction score
9
Anyone have any information about either of these Italian shoemakers? Thanks very much.
 

A Harris

Distinguished Member
Dubiously Honored
Joined
Jan 6, 2003
Messages
4,599
Reaction score
78
I just saw a pair of Bonora's (in person) for the first time last week. They were quite nice. They were a pair of loafers - I'd put the quality of that pair a notch above comparable Mantellassi's and Barrett's I've seen. Judging from that pair and from the pictures I've seen on Japanese websites they are a top-level shoe. As for Marini - I've heard the name (probably on the aforementioned Japanese website) but I've never seen a pair.
 

bengal-stripe

Distinguished Member
Dubiously Honored
Joined
Mar 23, 2002
Messages
4,621
Reaction score
1,280
G. Marini in Rome and Bonora in Florence are both makers of bespoke hand made shoes: http://cobblers.hp.infoseek.co.jp/count017.htm http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/welt-...1/marini01.htm http://www.geocities.co.jp/Milano-...._01.htm As far as I know, Marini produces nothing but this type of shoe. Bonora produces also a ready-to-wear range, which gets (limited) international distribution. I know a men's outfitter in London who stocks 3 or 4 models. G. Harris has seen them in the States, so I believe they are available in a few choice shops worldwide. The shoes are beautifully made, but I presume it's fair to say they do not come from the same workshop as the hand made shoes. They are factory made shoes to the highest possible standards. They sell in London for about £ 300 ($ 450) but in Japan for yen 73 000 ($  600).
 

A Harris

Distinguished Member
Dubiously Honored
Joined
Jan 6, 2003
Messages
4,599
Reaction score
78
The pair I saw were consigned by a gentleman who obviously loved to buy top end shoes. There was a huge assortment - Lobb, Barrett, Andrea Santoni, Weston etc. Unfortunately he was not as passionate about maintaining them. They weren't ruined but would have been had he kept them longer. I don't think he got them on the West Coast though. I haven't seen them for sale in any of the top-end stores. Maybe he got them on a trip to Rome?

And Bengal Stripe is right as usual. It's great having him around. Those loafers were from the ready-to-wear line. They were very well made for ready-to-wear but certainly not bespoke.
 

Thracozaag

Distinguished Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2002
Messages
3,093
Reaction score
9
One of these days, I'll stump you guys, but that doesn't look very likely any time soon. Thanks again for your amazing expertise.
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 36.7%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 59 39.3%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 15 10.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 26 17.3%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 26 17.3%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,125
Messages
10,578,695
Members
223,881
Latest member
Thomasaevers
Top