SoccerBible & Pantofola d'Oro - "Made In Italy" Video - Football News

The art of traditional boot making is something that Pantofola d'Oro know a thing or two about. The small team that operate from a factory in the mountains of southern Italy are the only people still hand-producing football boots in Europe.

Earlier this summer we were invited to Ascoli, Piceno, where the doors to Pantofola d'Oro's famous boot factory opened exclusively to SoccerBible. Speaking to Pantofola's owner and man-in-charge Kim Williams, our "Made In Italy" video captures the history of Pantofola d'Oro and the company's unique approach to boot making.





The story of Pantofola d'Oro is intertwined with football history. A true football brand whose philosophy of crafting football boots has served the likes of Ferenc Puskas, Alfredo Di Stefano, Johan Cruyff, Fabio Capello and Jurgen Klinsmann.





To this day the brand remain 100% Italian and have built a 127-year-strong reputation for their tradition, attention to detail, fine craftsmanship and selective quality of leathers. As company director Kim William's explains, "We are the only brand left worldwide who still produce their boots 100% internally, 100% made in Italy and we're very proud of this.

"Our DNA is the classical black shoe, that is the football shoe which we're known for and have done all of our lives. To make one of our shoes there are about 45 to 46 phases and we feel that the human work in it is very important. The leathers and the selection of the materials is also very important." 





The changing nature of the boot industry has challenged Pantofola d'Oro to extend their collection beyond their staple black leather boot. It's a challenge they're happy to accept. "Of course the world is changing and we are developing strong collections which are more approved of by a new generation that are not just used to classical shoes."





The recent revitalisation of the brand has brought new life to the Pantofola d'Oro range, which now includes nine top-tier models headlined most notably by the Sirio, Lazzarini and Piceno lines. Traditional design is still at the heart of every Pantofola boot as William's explains. 





"We feel that the footballer, the consumer, needs a true product that is based on real materials. In 1965 when we did this logo for the first time, it meant luxury. We're not a company who are interested in and can do quantities. We're interested in quality and high distribution. People are going back to true product and we feel that in the year 2013 it is happening more and more."





Stay tuned to SoccerBible throughout 2013 for exclusive Pantofola d'Oro updates and boot releases. Let us know what you think of the brand. Join the conversation online, on Twitter and on Facebook.