By: Carlee Hontz, Melina Hayward, Anna Long
Strolling through the main street of Sorrento, you will see several shops selling sandals. Not just selling sandals, but having walls of their interior and exterior covered in sandals. We were very intrigued in the history of sandal making in Sorrento, so we did some research and even got a pair ourselves!
When looking at the topic of Sandal Making, we decided to focus on a family business recommended to us by our program coordinator, Paloma. This store is called Sandali Antonino Corcione and they have been creating and selling original handmade sandals since 1925.
Quoted on their website, "Corcione Sandals was born from a passion for quality shoes and a long tradition of craftsmanship and Italian style. Through the use of fine materials of high-grade and the utmost care for the aesthetics of the models, we offer a collection of sandals with eye-catching, refined design and with the greatest attention to detail." Here are some photos from their workshop.
On their website, they offer a different version of their services where you can customize your sandals choosing materials, color, heel height and size. These sandals are not like normal ones you buy at the store, they offer extreme attention to detail, comfort and quality.
Pictured below is the founder, Giovanni Corcione, who created this shop in 1925 and instilled the culture and tradition of Italian craftsmanship within his shop.
Pictured below is Antonino Corcione, the father of the current owner. This business has been in the family for almost 100 years.
Carlee's Personal Experience at Sandali Antonino Corcione
Before coming on this trip, I heard from Paloma that in Sorrento I would be able to purchase a pair of sandals made just for me. I had never gotten a pair of shoes custom made for me, so this was very exciting. My roommate and I decided to go to Sandali Antonino Corcione, as recommended by Paloma, and we had a great experience. The exterior of the shop was covered in sandals, and this is what it looked like when you step inside:
It was honestly very difficult for me to make a decision on which pair I wanted because there were so many to choose from. Luckily, they allow you to try on as many pairs as you would like. Once I found the style that I liked best (after trying many on), the woman working got my feet measurements and I chose what color, material, and heel height I wanted. She told my roommate (Jess) and I to come tomorrow once they had constructed the sandals to pick them up. Below is the woman working measuring Jess's foot in order to create sandals that fit her perfectly.
The next day, we returned to try on our newly made custom sandals. They made sure everything fit perfect and made adjustments accordingly. Here is the owner making some adjustments on one pair:
They told us to come back an hour later so they can add the finishing touches, and we walked out with our own pairs of custom made Italian sandals!
**Prices seemed to range from 50+ Euros.
This was such a fun experience to see how the sandals are constructed and like their website says, they definitely pay great attention to detail. It was also so cool that this business has been in the family for almost 100 years! I definitely recommend this experience to all who visit!
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