Italian shoemaker Giuseppe Santoni talks taste

My personal style signifier is wearing orange because that’s my lucky colour. The lining of my suit is orange and I often wear braces the same colour. At the weekend, it’s maybe a pair of socks or a shirt. Orange reminds me of India – of the Dalai Lama. It is a relaxed colour, a very positive colour, which has a lot of energy. We introduced it into the company around 30 years ago – it’s a signature on the sole and lining of our shoes. 

The last thing I bought and loved was a pair of cufflinks. The ones I’m wearing are in the shape of a little gold pig with a diamond eye. They’re fun, I love them. I’m drawn to small things that are really special and have around 100 so far. But I collect everything and when I like something I usually buy three – just in case. 

The place that means a lot to me is home. I’m usually in the house in Corridonia [Italy] where we have the factory, or here in my new apartment in Milan, but in the wintertime my family go to St Moritz and in summertime we have a house at the beach. I’m always flying somewhere, so home is where I recharge. At the beach house we have a beautiful veranda with a seaview but in wintertime I like to be in front of the fireplace where it’s very quiet. 

The last home improvements we made were at our Milan apartment with architect Patricia Urquiola. She was nice because everything she created was customised for us – the sofa, the chairs, all the details were personalised. So now I can say I have a made-to-measure house. It was just like having a made-to-measure suit – she really stitched the house around our body. 

The best souvenir I brought home recently came from St Tropez, where I found a very nice ivy flat cap that looked very traditionally British but lightweight. It was very unusual. When I went to the restaurant for lunch, two people asked me. ‘Hey, where did you get that hat?’ That felt good, like I’d found an original.

The best book I’ve read in the past year is Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. It’s about how things often thrive in chaos. He’s a genius. I like all his books, including The Black Swan, which essentially says we should stop trying to predict everything. 

Nothing is fulfilling or deserved in life without hard work

My style icon is my father, a very elegant man [who founded the eponymous family footwear company in 1975. Santoni took over as CEO aged 21 in 1989]. He was my mentor, not just my dad, and we had a really great relationship. He gave me the best present you can give a son: an education in beauty. He educated me in the beauty of excellence, of quality, and the philosophy of quality. This is something you don’t learn when you go to school. This is something that you have to feel, that you have to understand, and you have to desire. 

I most admire athletes. When you see people with that kind of focus, with a spirit of sacrifice, and a responsibility of duty, it’s admirable because nothing is easy in life. Nothing is fulfilling or deserved without hard work. It’s beautiful to have a desire. And it’s beautiful to work hard to get it.

I would describe my style as original. I’m a man of details. I don’t like to be overdressed – I believe less is more – and I don’t dress for others. The fact that I feel good about myself is important: I’m more positive, I’m more productive, and my brain works better. If I don’t dress properly, I’m in disarray. I always say this to my son and daughter: “A woman is never too beautiful and a man is never too elegant.” 

The best gift I’ve given recently was a box of vintage Cohibas. I’m not a cigar expert and wasn’t aware you can smoke cigars that are 20, 30, 35 years old. They age like wine or whisky. 

And the best gift I’ve received is an artwork depicting a heart from a friend. I’m a lucky man. I get many gifts that make me happy. 

The last music I downloaded were playlists sent to me by friends on Spotify. I’m a big Spotify user. I have different playlists for different times of the day. I love Italian music: from chilled to dolce vita-style. I sometimes listen to songs from my youth from the ’70s and ’80s. It reminds me of that special time in life when you fall in love. I’m a romantic man.

I have a collection of everything. I have a collecting sickness. I never throw anything away and I never sell anything, including property. Watches are my biggest indulgence. I have a lot of Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Rolex but I love vintage watches as well. That said, I only have a few watches in my life, four or five, that I wear every day in rotation, some in summer, others more in winter.

The one piece that I could never part with is my Rolex 6062 Stelline, a very great watch from 1952, from a time when they used to do complications. It has an upper pendulum calendar and only 50 pieces were produced. It is very special but sadly it has to stay in the bank – you can’t keep such items in the house. It’s a shame but it can be dangerous to walk around wearing beautiful jewellery or an expensive watch these days. My wife, son and daughter gave me a very special watch when I became Cavaliere del Lavoro in 2022, which is similar to becoming a Sir in the UK. It is a very important honorific. The watch has a personal inscription on the back.

The best way to spend €20 is on a good glass of wine, a good cigar or gelato. I love ice-cream. Affogato, gelato with coffee, is my favourite. But it’s not good for my waistline. I have to work out much harder. 

A way to make me laugh is to tell me a funny real life story. I’m a very lucky person – I’m surrounded by lots of friends and we are always joking with each other. As Charlie Chaplin said: “A day without laughter is a day wasted.” I totally believe that.

In my fridge you’ll always find what is there right now: ice, champagne, gelato and red berries. These things are always stocked in all my houses – they are not negotiable. In the summer, I love cherries. Today, in Milan, there was an open market and I saw a basket of cherries that were so huge they looked like apricots. I couldn’t resist. I bought them just for pleasure.

I’ve recently discovered self-care. I wasn’t really a sports guy when I was young but got into it during Covid and now exercise Monday to Friday, and at the weekend with my son. When I started I kept telling myself I needed to do it. Now I can’t miss it. It makes me happy to wake up to go to the gym. I love that I’ve had this click in my mind and that I have the motivation to keep going. I feel proud when I’m done. 

The thing I couldn’t do without is my pen because I love to write notes. There is something very special about receiving a handwritten thank you; it’s a dying tradition but something I always try to do because it is appreciated and remembered.

An indulgence I would never forgo is dark chocolate – it’s my guilty pleasure. My favourite is artisanal chocolate that I buy in Sicily. Modica is made with a traditional recipe and has a rich, deep flavour. It is protected and can only be made in the Modica region.

The grooming staple I’m never without is my shaving kit. I travel a lot and my philosophy is that to be taken seriously you should look sharp and presentable. I believe you are an extension of your business. 

The artists whose work I would collect are typically from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, like Castellani, Boetti and Fontana. I also love Christo. I am a big advocate of the idea that beauty will save the world. This is the culture we should entrust to future generations. 

In another life I would change very little. I would probably just speed up some of it. I’m always hungry for more.

My favourite room in all my houses is the living room, because it is the only place where I can sit down with my iPad and there’s a sense of calm.

The best bit of advice I ever received was be proud of yourself. This is one of the best emotions you can have.