Walk on Jewels
I finally arrived in Capri. It’s a nice afternoon. I only brought a few summer dresses; as I do every year, I like to pick up my accessories in this charming island of style.
After a long refreshing shower, I put on an exotic kaftan and decide, before my friends unpack, to have a quick walk on Via Camerelle near the grand hotel Quissisana and breathe the scent of jasmine of Via Tragara gardens overlooking a deep blue sea.
Wearing my gold Jimmy Choo gladiator sandals, I am totally ready to face the Caprean arena of glamorous shopping
While I pay for my traditional Rocher and Fragole (strawberry) ice-cream at the Embassy bar, I keep on walking wandering about which must-have fetish I will be catching this summer
There he is, standing at the door of the family legendary boutique, tanned with a large smile on his face, his head shaved, young Costanzo the Italian grand son of Amedeo Canfora the three generation house of hand made sandals looks at me straight in the eyes. His grandfather Amedeo Canfora in the 1960’s dressed the feet of famous women like Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Sophia Loren and Audrey Hepburn.
I have a feeling I know why he is smiling…He must hide this year new creations and he knows for a fact that I am going to be once more, this summer another of his family fashion victims ” Come stai Joelle ? ” he asks.
I thank him and inquire about his mother and aunt, Amedeo’s daughters Angela and Rita whose magic and experienced hands have crafted sandals with love, devotion and perfection in detail for more than 30 years ” turning womens feet into portable works of art ” as once stated on Elle Magazine.
Costanzo says -Tutti bene grazie- and invites me in. To keep tradition, since 1946, several women fill the busy small but unaltered boutique talking lively with each other. Among them, piles of amazing styles and an infinity of colored sandals all handmade with real leather and fabulous applications of costume jewelry take over the tiny shelves.
Suddenly, my eye catches a piece of Amber stone hidden between leather gold straps and a white box. ” What is this?’ I ask.. Without taking away that smile on his lips Costanzo plays around, “All right Joelle “Amore a prima vista ” (love at first site) I knew you would catch those!-They are called Emily, bran new and part of our fall collection not yet in production though…”
“I don’t care - I say- I strongly have the need for those , now ” - ” Now? he asks the smile vanishing on his lips? ” He looks at his mother who without a smile of her own replies with a not-possible-look , then at his aunt Rita, at the moment working on large order for Middle East royals, who simply avoids his looks altogether not to compromise with the busy sister.
Costanzo looking back at me, realizes he is in a difficult situation; trapped between the powerful looks of three wordless Italian women whose personalities and character he’s too tired to know by now, will definitely interfere in a way or the other, with his dinner plans. He excuses himself and asks his father a minutes to reflect.
You must know that it takes at the boutique in Capri approximately 10 minutes for one of the family experienced members to produce a limited pair sandals of such quality (average of 25 a day) . Third party suppliers though, located in the peninsula regions of Campania, Lombardy and Toscany, are responsible for assembling and custom creating with the Canfora family the magnificent encrusted semi-precious stones and legitimate Swarovski crystals designs. These would take sometimes more than six months depending on the complexity of the style to deliver the well researched and formatted prototypes.
Among the unforgettable Jacqueline Onassis many others famous customers like Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart and Grace Kelly, Caroline of Monaco, have appreciated Canfora’s creations over the years.
At the beginning small motifs like stars, butterflies and hearts encrusted on natural leather were the signature sandals. Within the years according to avid and demanding niche of international clientele, models like Naomi Campbell and Hollywood stars, the luxurious quality to the sandals and the continuous research for exclusive design within its styles without a doubt reached its peak this season.
Costanzo finally comes back from his walk with his father, ” Is it ok for tonight at 9 after dinner ? Rita, who heard without a word, prepares the glue on a board, the Emily Amber detail, their own production water resistant artfully stitched sole, the wood mold and the luminous gold leather strings.
Through their recently installed e-commerce worldwide, and their website reaching sometimes 500 hits a day, Americans, Brazilians, Swiss, Greeks and Indonesians now wear at their feet among many others Botticelli Venus, Gioia, Mimosa, Vanessa, Gianna and Maddalena. The prestigious hotel Sandy Lane in Barbados and the world most famous department store Harrods in Knightsbridge London, represent the historical tradition this family of craftsmen who understood long ago that glamour is nothing more than luxury applied to simplicity.
Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s nine o’clock.
Like the divine Ava Gardner in the Barefoot Contessa I must go to an appointment where I will find a jewel especially adjusted to be worn freely at my feet….Ah and the name of that jewel? Emily.
Joelle’s Tips:
The handmade sandals:
Canfora Via Camerelle
80073 Capri (Napoli)
Tel. +39 081 8370487
Fax +39 081 8370487
www.canforacapri.com - To order wholesale : info@canfora.com
The Bar:
Ambassy Via Camerelle, 16 - tel. 081 8377066 A must for those who love gelato. .
Wode Paint Boudicca & Wode Scent Boudicca
