Silvano Lattanzi Appreciation Thread - Pictures, Impressions, Questions

[Son Of Saphir]

Sadly the photos don't do justice to how nice the Lattanzi really are.
They have beautiful subtle natural antiquing and styling that is really beautiful.
Have one pair that is like beautiful antiqued wood in the morning, but no photo can ever capture it.

Norvegese - the real deal slow norvegese v's fast norvegese construction cheapness.​

Norvegese is supposed to waterproof a shoe with an out turned upper that is solidly secured,
but almost all norvegese shoes use wide stitches to attach the crucial points of the upper to the slipsole.

If wide stitches are used,
how can it keep the water out??

Only Lattanzi does norvegese properly,
uses small stitches to maximally secure the out turned upper to the slipsole to minimize chance of water seeping in.

Lattanzi with the out turned upper stitched to the slipsole (sole underneath outsole).

Another Lattanzi norvegese - small stitches

St Cripins norvegese - wide stitches. All for show with little substance to the construction.

Paolo Scafora - wide stitches. All for show with little substance to the construction.

Stefano Branchini - medium wide stitch. All for show with little substance to the construction.

Bettanin and Venturi - medium wide stitch. All for show with little substance to the construction.

Sutor Mantelassi norvegese - wide stitches. All for show with little substance to the construction.

Stefanobi norvegese - wide stitches. All for show with little substance to the construction.

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO norvegese - wide loose stitches (worst). Probably machine stitched

Bontoni norvegese - wide stitches

Santoni norvegese - wide stitches

See the point me make?
Lattanzi does the best norvegese by far.

 

[comrade]

Uniformly awful, IMHO.

 

[DorianGreen]

Sadly the photos don't do justice to how nice the Lattanzi really are.
They have beautiful subtle natural antiquing and styling that is really beautiful.
Have one pair that is like beautiful antiqued wood in the morning, but no photo can ever capture it.

Norvegese - the real deal slow norvegese v's fast norvegese construction cheapness.​

Norvegese is supposed to waterproof a shoe with an out turned upper that is solidly secured,
but almost all norvegese shoes use wide stitches to attach the crucial points of the upper to the slipsole.

If wide stitches are used,
how can it keep the water out??

Only Lattanzi does norvegese properly,
uses small stitches to maximally secure the out turned upper to the slipsole to minimize chance of water seeping in.

Lattanzi with the out turned upper stitched to the slipsole (sole underneath outsole).
View attachment 1979753

Another Lattanzi norvegese - small stitches
View attachment 1979831



St Cripins norvegese - wide stitches. All for show with little substance to the construction.
View attachment 1979771

Paolo Scafora - wide stitches. All for show with little substance to the construction.
View attachment 1979791

Stefano Branchini - medium wide stitch. All for show with little substance to the construction.
View attachment 1979807

Bettanin and Venturi - medium wide stitch. All for show with little substance to the construction.
View attachment 1979827


Sutor Mantelassi norvegese - wide stitches. All for show with little substance to the construction.
View attachment 1979809


Stefanobi norvegese - wide stitches. All for show with little substance to the construction.
View attachment 1979811

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO norvegese - wide loose stitches (worst). Probably machine stitched
View attachment 1979813


Bontoni norvegese - wide stitches
View attachment 1979825


Santoni norvegese - wide stitches
View attachment 1979829

See the point me make?
Lattanzi does the best norvegese by far.

I understand your admiration for the technical skills, but the Norvegese style/construction is a rather coarse design, less suitable for an elegant wardrobe in my opinion. It was a huge trend in Italy a few decades ago and every brand and maker had this style offered, it's not often to see nowadays.

When properly made, it can be attractive, but I see it in a casual country context.

 

[Son Of Saphir]

^^^

I understand your admiration for the technical skills, but the Norvegese style/construction is a rather coarse design, less suitable for an elegant wardrobe in my opinion. It was a huge trend in Italy a few decades ago and every brand and maker had this style offered, it's not often to see nowadays.

When properly made, it can be attractive, but I see it in a casual country context.

I understand your admiration for the technical skills, but the Norvegese style/construction is a rather coarse design, less suitable for an elegant wardrobe in my opinion. It was a huge trend in Italy a few decades ago and every brand and maker had this style offered, it's not often to see nowadays.

When properly made, it can be attractive, but I see it in a casual country context.

The point made above was not to admire the norvegese shoes above.
The point was to demonstrate proper highend norvegese compared to low end norvegese.

You are right though....
some norvegese can be attractive masterpieces,
but those are few and far between.
The problem is that makers have jumped on the norvegese trend and made norvegese for the sake of making norvegese.
Many ugly norvegese models with long snouts and square toes etc.

 

[DorianGreen]

^^^


The point made above was not to admire the norvegese shoes above.
The point was to demonstrate proper highend norvegese compared to low end norvegese.

You are right though....
some norvegese can be attractive masterpieces,
but those are few and far between.
The problem is that makers have jumped on the norvegese trend and made norvegese for the sake of making norvegese.
Many ugly norvegese models with long snouts and square toes etc.

I think that we agree about that.

Curiously, the Norvegese (Italian word) style seems to be an Italian thing. you won't see a lot of British examples.

 

[Son Of Saphir]

Yes norvegese and bentivegna are made famous by Lattanzi himself.
Many shoemakers copy him with pale imitations of these constructions.
Here are some good examples of norvegese.
Notice the casual nature of the shoes.
Not a fan of split toes,
but if you like that design the norvegese complements it perfectly.
Great with heavy cords with a sportscoat.


This model is exceptional with norvegese.
Looks like an Alden PTB.
You may not like the flashy antiquing but it works with this type of design and last.



Another great design for norvegese that won't draw the wrong type of attention.
Would need heavier clothes and a sportscoat or some casual coat or thick sweater.
Obviously not with a suit.


See how well everything flows and works together.
When Mr Lattanzi is not all crazy he can do things in amazing ways.

 

[DorianGreen]

Yes norvegese and bentivegna are made famous by Lattanzi himself.
Many shoemakers copy him with pale imitations of these constructions.
Here are some good examples of norvegese.
Notice the casual nature of the shoes.
Not a fan of split toes,
but if you like that design the norvegese complements it perfectly.
Great with heavy cords with a sportscoat.
View attachment 1980265

This model is exceptional with norvegese.
Looks like an Alden PTB.
You may not like the flashy antiquing but it works with this type of design and last.
View attachment 1980263


Another great design for norvegese that won't draw the wrong type of attention.
Would need heavier clothes and a sportscoat or some casual coat or thick sweater.
Obviously not with a suit.
View attachment 1980261

The first and the third pair are good examples of the style. As you said, the split toe is characteristic and peculiar of the design.

We also agree that the style is suitable to a casual look, with cords or tweed trousers and a (heavy) sport coat.

 

[Son Of Saphir]

Norvegese also works with these shell cordovan chukka boots.
Wear these with heavy trousers and the effect will be good.
The norvegese adds that bit of extra to these boots.

Also note how traditional maker Vass uses Goiser.
Why?
Because sometimes the extra exposed stitch adds something extra.
Certain shoes without the goiser look plain.

Alden use the reverse welt too.
Why?
Because it adds something extra.
It can look nice.

The problem is that makers go overboard because they have no design aesthetic.

 

[Cliffnopus]

I first met Silvano at a Louis Boston trunk show. Not speaking English well (if at all) most conversations went through Massimo Bizzochi a VP of Kiton at the time and acting as Silvano's interpreter.

I was impressed with his passion for his craft. He spoke, in great detail about the (as he called it) 'fancy stitching' and on the split toe, how he took the time to turn the leather inside out and beat the seam with a small hammer to make it (sort of) disappear.

Anyway I bit for this shoe, in shell cordovan, and believe me - I paid dearly for the decorative stitching (as I did for all my Lattanzi's). But I had to have it. It takes an additional three days to complete.

 

[Son Of Saphir]

^^^

Cliff,

some questions about your Lattanzi shoes.

1). does lattanzi do your resoles?
2). do your Lattanzi get heavy use?
3). how is the lining holding up in your pairs?

4). would you be able post all your Lattanzi here.
Would like to see how they have aged after 23 years of wear.

It is good you are posting in this thread.

 

[Cliffnopus]

My Lattanzi's and my Ercolino's are dress shoes and get minimal wear now as I am retired. I wear them to church and various 'events'. When I was working (inside desk job managing engineers) I was rotating my dress shoes daily. Now to answer your questions, in order:
1) They have never been resoled and still do not look like they need it. If needed, I would try to ask Perry Ercolino, in Philly if he would please do it. So I wouldn't have to send to Italy and lose a year waiting.
2) Not real heavy use, as explained above.
3) The lining(s) look almost like new. In fact the inside of the cordovan shoe above is tan and has the makers writing inside. it's still very visible and says (I'm reading it now) :
SILVANO LATTANZI
Espressimenta for
Sig CLIFF STARK (I just took a snapshot of this, see below)

4) I currently have a pic of my Bespoke Lattanzi's. I will add it below.