Paolo Scafora shoemaker - pictorial
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 8:02 pm
In Naples last weekend and was able to secure an appointment to visit with Paolo Scafora. Naples being Naples, the network of personal relationships run far and wide, so it came as only a mild surprise to discover that my fitter knows Paolo and she kindly offered to accompany me. The Scafora operations are outside the city in a neighborhood which can be best described as demographically and socio-economically "diverse." The ability to speak Neapolitan is essential here, as even while asking for driving directions Italian seemed to have limited utility. I seriously doubt I would have found this place on my own, and even with Mina driving we had to settle on meeting Paolo at the nearby Kiton headquarters, after which he guided us through a series of narrow roads to a small industrial complex.
Paolo is probably in his mid to late thirties, an affable guy with a strong vision for his brand and a clear direction for his operations. What struck me most in contrast to my Northampton a few days prior was just how immaculate his factory operations were. Machinery was new, floors were swept, and artisans were organized into tidy workstations. His staff are a mix of veterans as well as younger blood, and while staff were friendly I came away with the impression of an environment simultaneously relaxed yet filled with hushed intensity and attention to detail. Paolo will work and refine bespoke lasts on wood, and once the fit is nailed down he will recreate the lasts in plastic to better withstand the affects of the elements over time. All Scafora skins (calf, croc) arrive denuded, with Paolo preferring to have full control over painting and burnishing to arrive at "his" colors. These colors were very nice indeed.
After the factory, we went next door to his gorgeous showroom to conduct the foot tracing and have a coffee (which was wonderful). The pictures here really speak for themselves. With 15 last shapes to choose from, I decided on a soft chiseled toe midway between the EG888 and 82. Simple double-monk with captoe, burnished espresso, 8mm sole with fiddleback and my initials. Paolo travels regularly to NYC, and as luck would have it his next visit at the end of February will coincide with my own. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my trial shoe will be ready for that trip. Will continue to update this thread as my first-ever bespoke shoe commission unfolds.
Paolo is probably in his mid to late thirties, an affable guy with a strong vision for his brand and a clear direction for his operations. What struck me most in contrast to my Northampton a few days prior was just how immaculate his factory operations were. Machinery was new, floors were swept, and artisans were organized into tidy workstations. His staff are a mix of veterans as well as younger blood, and while staff were friendly I came away with the impression of an environment simultaneously relaxed yet filled with hushed intensity and attention to detail. Paolo will work and refine bespoke lasts on wood, and once the fit is nailed down he will recreate the lasts in plastic to better withstand the affects of the elements over time. All Scafora skins (calf, croc) arrive denuded, with Paolo preferring to have full control over painting and burnishing to arrive at "his" colors. These colors were very nice indeed.
After the factory, we went next door to his gorgeous showroom to conduct the foot tracing and have a coffee (which was wonderful). The pictures here really speak for themselves. With 15 last shapes to choose from, I decided on a soft chiseled toe midway between the EG888 and 82. Simple double-monk with captoe, burnished espresso, 8mm sole with fiddleback and my initials. Paolo travels regularly to NYC, and as luck would have it his next visit at the end of February will coincide with my own. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my trial shoe will be ready for that trip. Will continue to update this thread as my first-ever bespoke shoe commission unfolds.
