Made in Brazil and Spain – in the 1980’s and 1990’s, two of the BEST places where great shoes and other leather goods were made. Italy and Portugal were also at the top of that list. These were made for well-known brands but small unbranded shoemakers (especially in Latin America and Europe) sold beautiful creations if you were able to find them. I knew immediately that these were vintage footwear pieces and that the quality would be outstanding. The truth, as always, is in the details and I have included photographs and descriptions of the most important ones.

The leather in the top-pictured flats is glove-soft. I adore the embroidered stars covering the vamps. The little finishing detail at the top of the heels was one sign of exceptional workmanship. I usually find this detail on well-made true vintage European footwear. These were made in Spain by Pikolinos, a family brand founded in 1984. Love the style!

The camel-colored flats with brown trim are made in an elegant style meant as a driving shoe (notice the extension of the sole material on the back of the heels). See the little stitching detail that secures the seam there, too, plus the brown trim which reinforces the heel opening but is also very stylish. On the edges of the vamps where the foot enters there are slim inserts of elastic material and elegant stitching detail. These shoes were made in Brazil for Naturalizer, a more common North American company which nevertheless made some excellent quality footwear, at least in the past.

Both these pairs of shoes have a hard but flexible vinyl/rubber sole that is very appropriate for street wear and resists damage. Again, they will last for decades longer. I couldn’t be happier to find these practical styles in one place! Stay tuned for the last installment of this most recent investigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MORGANA MARTIN, THE MAGICVINTAGESPY

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