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MAGNANNI FOOT LOOSE
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footwear
Tip Top:
Well-maintained footwear speaks volumes about the man wearing it.
FOOT Loose!
A modern man’s guide to building a footwear wardrobe.
By Karen Alberg Grossman
No one knows more about shoemaking than the Blanco family, for shoemaking is in their DNA. Here we chat with Magnanni’s third generation, Pascual Blanco, about the perfect shoe wardrobe for fall 2018.
Can you give us a little background on your company?
Shoemaking has been part of the Blanco family for three generations. It began when our grandfather, Sebastián Blanco Aldomar, started his own workshop on the ground floor of his house in Almansa in the region of La Mancha, Spain. His small home-based operation employed only five shoe artisans. Our grandfather’s only son, our father Pascual Blanco Sr., started studying shoe design at age 14 and quickly became the head designer of his father’s company. My father was inspired by the romance and feel of early-American cinema, so he created more refined and elegant shoe designs that define the Magnanni aesthetic. We are now in our 64th year and Magnanni continues to be family-owned and operated by my five siblings and me. Our youngest brother, Luis, is our head designer; he is continuously improving and evolving the shapes and lines of our shoes while implementing new technologies. Our oldest brother, Miguel, is in charge of creating new hand-antiquing methods and new colorways to highlight and complement Luis’ designs. We each have a role that reflects our strengths.
What are the key styles men must have in their footwear wardrobes for fall 2018?
The Magnanni Man has an elevated taste level and a worldly lifestyle, so my top picks from our autumn/winter ’18 collection would be: a comfort dress shoe, a contemporary fashion monk strap in perhaps a tobacco shade, a dress sneaker (why not cognac?), an athleisure sneaker, a fashion dress shoe, a dress/casual hybrid, a fabulous boot (we love gray!) and a formal shoe, perhaps in navy.
But which is the must-have shoe this season? It’s hard for me to pick just one, but I absolutely love what we’ve been able to create with our new Diversa comfort dress shoe line. Diversa means “diversified fit and feel from your
If the Shoe Fits: Always make sure your style is appropriate for the occasion.
Well Heeled:
The right dress shoe (nothing too formal) adds a touch of class to dark denim.
“My father was inspired by the romance and feel of early-American cinema.”
average dress shoe.” Our goal was to create a collection of dress shoes with all the Magnanni DNA (beautiful lasts, modern designs, unique colors) but with the feel of a sneaker. After a long road of research and development, we’ve achieved this, which is so rewarding. This is the most comfortable dress shoe I’ve ever worn!
Your thoughts on the now-ubiquitous sneaker trend?
Magnanni has embraced and intertwined the sneaker into our overall selection for the customer by offering many subcategories: dress sneakers, retro runners, modern hybrids and fashion high-tops. Sneakers have become a go-to item for men in both work and casual lifestyles.
What type of shoe works best with a suit? With jeans?
The style that best works for a suit depends on the suit’s intended purpose. For example, if we are starting with a classic navy blue suit with a tailored fit, we would recommend pairing with a fashion dress style. The shoe will accentuate the lines of the suit from top to bottom. I would choose a shade of brown or tobacco; for a more formal setting, a cognac shade really makes the navy pop. However, if our starting point is the same suit paired with a casual tee, a sneaker like our Elonso Lo Cognac would be perfect for a modern, laid-back feel.
The same thinking applies to denim: If I’m wearing a sportcoat with a dress shirt to the office, I’d wear a dress/casual shoe; if I’m going to a fútbol match with my son, I’d wear our Merino sneaker with my jeans.
What mistakes do men most often make when coordinating footwear with apparel?
For me, traditional rules no longer apply. Dress shoes and sneakers in today’s fashion climate are now interchangeable and can be worn with everything from suits to denim. My only steadfast rule is to make sure I’m dressed appropriately for the occasion.
Why are shoes so expensive these days?
Shoe prices are derived from many variables including R&D, design, marketing and production costs like raw materials and labor. Our family’s approach has always been to control every aspect of the business to enable the best product, at the best price, while providing tremendous value to the end customer.
It is said that women judge men by their shoes: What are they looking for exactly?
A man wearing a great pair of shoes gives women insight into his taste level, attention to detail and sense of style. However, no matter what shoe a man wears, it has to be polished and well maintained to show he knows how to take care of the finer things in life.
