One of the most well-known quality shoe companies in South America is Casa Fagliano from Argentina, world famous for their polo boots but who also produce a bunch of other types of footwear. Rodolfo Fagliano – the grand old man of the company – sadly passed away last week, at the age of 94.
I don’t write about South American shoe brands that often, main reason for this is that I lack knowledge of this world to a large degree, I have to admit. One company that I do know very well though, is Casa Fagliano. It was founded already in 1892 by Pedro and Giacomina Fagliano, who came to Argentina from Italy the decade before. The workshop was (and still is) located in the Hurlingham district of Buenos Aires. In the 1920’s they started to produce handmade polo boots of excellent quality, and the company became one of the most renowned makers of polo boots.
Casa Fagliano bespoke polo boots.
Rodolfo Fagliano was the second generation, born in 1929, he more or less grew up in the workshop and eventually became the manager and continued to develop it during the 1900’s. It was during his heir that the company really became a worldwide sensation within the world of polo boots and riding boots in general. He trained his sons Eduardo and Héctor, and later his grandson Germán, in the skills of bootmaking. The three generations Fagliano continued to develop the company, both with offering RTW boots and new styles of shoes, the men’s shoes Goodyear welted in Europe, and the younger generations has also worked well to get them into the digital age with good online and social media presence.
Rodolfo continued to work in the workshop well into his 90’s, which is quite incredible, and a testament to his dedication to crafting boots and shoes. You really have to love something to manage to have focus on this for basically eight decades. Q.E.P.D. Rodo.
Rodolfo Fagliano in the middle together with his sons, grandson and other colleagues in the Casa Fagliano workshop. Pictures: Casa Fagliano
