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Workshops
Where had the craftsmanship in sportsmanship gone? We had long wondered why it was that an industry entirely centred on movement seemed deeply lacking in skill when it came to how sportswear was made. And as avid fans of the most popular game in the world, we found ourselves deeply disillusioned with the poor offering in football boots.
We consider ourselves somewhat in the know when it comes to the best footwear in the world, and appreciate the difference that a beautiful cut of leather can make to how you walk and move in a pair of shoes. It seemed fairly obvious to us that the winning combination of fine raw materials and high craftsmanship ought to apply in an environment where the importance of comfort and ease of movement was second to none. So we set out to see if there still existed true artisans who could handcraft football shoes.
The Search
Search engines weren’t getting us very far. The influence of branding on the game was evident from the drop down of suggested search terms that gave pride of place to synthetically made boots that had major sponsorship deals with the Ronaldos of the world. We were struck by how marketing across the board was focussed on ‘high-tech’ machinery in production, and how far the conversation had moved on from what we knew were the traditionally recognised attributes in top notch boots.
Where kangaroo leather had once ruled supreme, it was now virtually non existent on the market. Because kangaroo hide contains highly concentrated collagen fibres that run parallel to the surface of the skin, it has a higher tensile strength than other skins. It's also uniquely airy on account of a thin grain layer and naturally low fat content, in addition to its lack of sweat glands and arrector pili muscles, making it the ideal natural material to use in a quality pair of boots (provided they were well constructed). Lucky for us, we had found the one brand that remained committed to using kangaroo leather handcrafted by masters, and whose football boots were so beloved by early adopters they were known as the golden slipper.
When Juventus legend John Charles first experienced a Pantofola boot, he dubbed it ‘the golden slipper’ for the unparalleled ball control and lightness of movement it gave him. In doing so, he provided the inspiration for the name of the brand.
The Golden Slipper
As soon as we arrived at the Pantofola workshop, we knew we were home. It had everything we thought had long been forgotten in football- quality, craft and a rich heritage in the game before mammoth sponsorship deals changed it forever. Pantofola d'Oro was founded in 1886 by the Lazzarini family. It was only in the 1950s that they took on the now infamous golden slipper moniker. Their first football boots were designed in the 1950s under the stewardship of Emidio Lazzarini for the town's local football team, and they were recognised soon after as being uniquely suited to the game. After all, Emidio was a sportsman himself and was well placed to contribute both his athletic and footwear expertise to the expansion of the brand. When Juventus legend John Charles first experienced a Pantofola boot, he dubbed it ‘the golden slipper’ for the unparalleled ball control and lightness of movement it gave him. In doing so, he provided the inspiration for the name of the brand and encapsulated the combination of craft, athletic insight and quality that truly placed Emidio’s creation a cut above the rest.
El Pibe de Oro
Speaking to artisans on the workshop floor at Pantofola d’Oro is a football lover’s dream. A favourite story is of the day Maradona fell in love with their boot, so much so that he requested the craftsmen stitch a Puma logo on to a pair of Pantofola boots to protect his sponsorship deal. And who could refuse El Pibe de Oro? It’s been said by those in the know (and it’s not very surprising to us) that he played at his very best in his special pair of Pumas. The pair that had never come out of, or even seen, the Puma factory. Maradona is just one (though a rather significant one) of the many greats who played at their best in Pantofola boots. From Klinsmann and Garrincha to Cruyff and Mancini, some of the game’s greatest moments have happened in a pair of golden slippers made in Campoli, Italy.
