Like so many industries, the COVID-19 pandemic has put the nation's artisanal footwear trade at risk.
A three-hour drive from Rome, through rolling hills and nestled between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea, lies the region of Le Marche. With neither the Renaissance legend of Tuscany nor the dense forests of Umbria, Le Marche is quiet and rural, stretching nearly 4,000 square miles across Italy's sandy eastern coast.
In a global pandemic, a craft-based service like shoe production is not exactly the focal point of a nation's fighting efforts to combat such a vicious virus. But these factories are not to be overlooked, and the current climate has threatened to dismantle them altogether. In her years working with Italian factories, Bucquet has watched as some have evolved, scaled or specified, often when younger generations take over for their elders. Some manufacturers may become even more artisanal; others might pivot to take on more luxury-adjacent clients, like those of a Kering or LVMH.
"This industry is very connected," says Pasca. "If the retail stores are suffering, that means that along the chain, the manufacturing will be at risk. The factories already paid for the materials and may not be able to complete production because the retail orders are on hold. A lot depends on what the stores will do with the orders."
"Everybody is working on safety procedures, documentation and protocols," says Pasca. "We need to make sure workers can be in a safe environment without spreading the virus once they get back to the factories. It's really important because we know this situation will last a long time."
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