The Archive Heel - It's story

A new shoe with an old soul.

I have been very excited for this Archive heel to be reborn into the world. I want to tell you it’s story. When I was in Italy, last October, at the end of a long day, I found her sitting in a dusty box in the Archive shelves. It might have been sitting there for 30 years, untouched. My jaw dropped as the lid popped open. I pulled out this beautiful 1970’s shoe. She was stunning! I immediately asked, Who is she? Can we make her again? Please please please! With a little bit of convincing the factory, they allowed us to reissue their heritage heel. In collaboration with them, we brought her back to the world again.

We resourced skins that would work for ‘now’. Originally she was made of real Croco, as they would say in Italy. But you cannot, very easily, import Crocodile and it is very expensive. I think it is actually illegal in California. We sourced a stamped calf to use instead, which is what you do now.

In Italy, things are communal. Factories are run by families, for generations. Children take over their parent’s factories. They grow up in them. They are a source of pride, of lineage and of life.

It is a privilege to work among these craftsmen who make my shoes, to be a part of their lineage through extension. It is lovely to know that the work, the MAKING, it sustains a family, a community. It becomes the memories of the story of this place. We pride ourselves in using local materials, from the Tuscan community. It is of here.

The Archive heel is named after this idea that it comes from this archive of the factory’s lineage. In the 1970’s, it was a bestseller. They used to hand paint the images of the shoes onto each box. Can you imagine! We laughed about how we should do that again, but of course, that wouldn’t be affordable today.

Below is a letter from Marco, the factory owner. I wanted to share. I asked him to talk a little about his factory and this shoe.

Our company’s roots go back to 1946, when my grandparents first started this business with passion, dedication, and a deep respect for craftsmanship. In 1974, the company was passed down to Giovanna Grazzini and Fernando Piccini, who continued to uphold the values and vision that had shaped its beginnings.

I’m Marco Piccini, and I’ve been working in the company since 1994. In 2024, following the passing of my father, I took over the leadership of the company, carrying on a legacy that has been in our family for generations.

Today, our team is made up of 20 skilled artisans who dedicate themselves to every detail of the shoemaking process — from the initial sketch to the finished product. Every shoe is the result of careful hands, expert knowledge, and a commitment to quality that has remained unchanged over the decades.

One of the most touching moments in recent years came from a visit by designer Jamie Haller. As she was walking through our factory, she noticed an old, dusty model sitting forgotten on a shelf — a sandal we hadn’t produced in over 30 years. It was one of those timeless pieces, elegant and comfortable, once loved by grandmothers of a different era.

Jamie instantly fell in love with it. Despite initial doubts from many, she insisted on including it in her collection. That forgotten sandal became a bestseller.

In a beautiful, unexpected way, that old model brought part of my family back to life. Through its success, my grandparents and my father — who gave so much to this company — continue to live on, not just in memory, but in every pair of those revived shoes that now walk the world again.

Ok. Sadly, and happily, this Archive heel is selling out on day 1. We buy as many as we hope we can sell. It wasn’t enough, we are doing an emergency reorder! Like I did, I think a lot of people are falling in love with who this special lady is. Iconic, nostalgic, playful. All the things. I’m lucky I got a pair!

xx Jamie