Velasca defines luxury with handmade Italian shoes
Craftsmanship and Italian creativity come to life with Velasca. From crepe soles and wing tip brogues to monk straps, Velasca’s handmade Italian shoes can be teamed with anything from jeans to black tie.
Launched in May of 2013 by friends Enrico Casati and Jacopo Sebastio, the brand stands firm in their ethos: create high-quality Italian products at fair prices. All made in Italy.
Italian Handmade
Nothing can beat the perfection of handmade Italian shoes. Velasca shoes are hand-stitched using century-old traditions of fine Italian shoemaking and brought to life by local artisan workmanship. Each shoe is beautiful inside and out, with full leather lining, fantastic flexibility and impeccably clean lines. From chocolate suede and cognac to ebony and deep navy, Velasca’s large array of colors and leathers will satiate the needs of both the traditional and modern gentleman.
The History
The name Velasca comes from the famous Milanese tower, Torre Velasca. The building stands out in the city skyline and is a symbol of Milan – the hub for Italian business and politics. There in Milan you’ll find the men formally dressed, no matter the profession – in none other than handmade Italian shoes.
Another distinguishing feature can be found in each style name. Each shoe celebrates an iconic Milanese profession. The Cumenda, is the Milanese word for Businessman, the Spazzacamin is the word for the Chimney Sweep and the Vivoeur, simply translates to the Gentleman.
Treat Yourself
You can experience the elegance of Velesca starting below $200 – which is a rare find for handmade Italian shoes. Velasca footwear is hard to come by outside of Italy, and to celebrate this emerging brand, Italist is offering our existing customers 10% off the entire line.
If you wear Church’s, Tricker’s or Edward Green, you will love Velasca. Don’t be fooled by the price either, Velasca is made to last. Fabio Attanasio of The Bespoke Dudes has even partnered with the brand for a limited edition collection.
We sat down with Enrico Casati for an exclusive interview to learn more about the brand (far right). Enjoy.
Enrico, when did you start your career?
I graduated university in 2011 and four days after graduation, I left for London where I started my (short) career as a banker for HSBC. About a year later, I moved to Singapore into wealth management at HSBC when Jacopo and I created the idea Velasca.
Tell us the story behind Velasca. How was the idea born?
The idea was born from our own personal desires to purchase high-quality, handmade products without the extra markup. Quickly after leaving Italy, we realized just how much knowledge and craftsmanship we have in our country and how little this knowledge is used by Italians to sell to international consumers.
Italian artisans often prefer to work as subcontractors for American, Chinese or even Russian brands, and can leave a burden on distribution. Velasca has a different approach; we cut the middle man to bring the best artisan Italian products directly to consumers around the world.
What makes your products so unique?
The craftsmanship, the materials, the century-old tradition of Italian art manufacturing, the design and all the style choices related to the creation of the product make it unique over time. In addition, I would say that the product itself is only part of what Velasca is in the eyes of our customers. Velasca is a trademark, synonymous with Italian craftsmanship, but also of innovation, web and digital communication.
Where’s your footwear produced?
All Velasca products are hand-crafted by Italian artisans in the small town of Montegranaro, Marche – a region famous for its long tradition of elegant footwear.
What’s your best seller?
Our best sellers are the esclusiv.
What does luxury mean to you?
Luxury for me and Velasca is synonymous with uncompromising quality.
What’s the best advice you ever received regarding working in the fashion industry?
First the product, then everything else.
Why is Velasca so important to you?
In today’s digital world, we want to bring quality craftsmanship back to the center.
Luxury shoes made accessible. Always handmade, always made in Italy.
All Italist customers can enjoy 10% off their Velasca purchases until March 31st using promo code, MOONVELASCA10!
About the Author
Alex English is the Head of Content Marketing at italist.com, building on a lifelong passion for fashion and luxury. After publishing a lifestyle blog for nearly ten years and obtaining an MBA in Milan at SDA Bocconi, one of Europe’s top business schools, he joined the italist team in 2019. His work since then has focused on upper-funnel messaging, brand storytelling, establishing italist as a thought leader in the space, and enriching the customer experience on the platform. Find him on LinkedIn.