Italian shoemakers speak up for Made in Italy
A luxury shoemaker in Italy has told the Financial Times that he cannot keep up with the demand from Chinese consumers for ‘Made in Italy’ products. Ferruccio Ferragamo, whose father, Salvatore Ferragamo, put handmade shoes on the feet of Marilyn Monroe and Judy Garland, said he had to keep his workers working right up until Christmas Day 2010, almost a week longer than usual.
“We cannot make enough to keep up with the demand from the Chinese. They want their shoes not just made in Italy, but often made in Florence,” he told the FT.
Despite reports of the demise of the ‘Made in Italy’ label, its popularity appears to be growing. In 2010, the country’s exports are estimated to have grown 12.5%. Throughout the economic downturn, Italy has remained Europe’s second largest export economy, after Germany.
Diego Della Valle, the entrepreneur behind luxury footwear brand Tod’s, told the FT that more needs to be done to defend ‘Made in Italy’ as a means for the country’s small and medium-sized businesses to defend themselves against globalisation.
Mr Della Valle recently told a conference in Milan: “Many people want to live like us, they want to be us, they want to dress like us, and they are willing to spend money to do it.”
