This year the Forum will focus on creativity, jobs and local development. We will examine how localities can support culture and creative industries as a source of knowledge and job creation and how the creative industry can act as a powerful driving force areas such as tourism, urban regeneration, and social inclusion.

1. www.acrib.it 1
Riviera del Brenta and its Region
The System of Footwear Manufacturing:
art, industry, school, tradition and innovation

2. www.acrib.it 2
A Logo from the past
The shoe manufacturers from Riviera del Brenta may use, as their sign of
origin, the old seal of the Venetian “Confraternita dei Calegheri”
(Cobblers' Confraternity), going back to the 13th century. The official
presence of the shoemakers in Venice is documented in 1268, in the
occasion of the election day of Doge Lorenzo Tiepolo.
Venice had dictated the sizes and shapes of the soles, that all "cerdones"
(shoemakers) from Venice and Padua had to conform to.
The coat of arms bears the words "S.FRATELITA CALSOLARI
REGNATI". “S." means Sacred, "Fratelita" means Confraternity,
"Calsolari" means Shoemakers and Solemakers, "Regnati" means the
regulations by means of a statute. The inscription surrounds the symbols
of the shoe knife, on the left, and the "calamerie" (measurement units to
mark and cut soles) over one sole, on the right.

3. www.acrib.it 3
A Logo from the history
One of the first headquarters of the confraternity in Venice
was the current Academy of Fine Arts (Accademia di Belle
Arti).
In 1446 it moved once and for all to Campo S. Tomà to
the building since then called "Scuola dei Calegheri“
(Shoemakers‘ “School”, Headquarters) in Venice.

4. www.acrib.it 4
“Scuola dei Calegheri” - Campo San Tomà

5. www.acrib.it 5
Our logo is a sign of origin
The original seal is preserved at the Correr Museum, St.Mark Square, in
Venice.

6. www.acrib.it 6
In the footsteps of “Calegheri”Many traces of the ancient Venetian shoemakers are still visible in Venice
Scuola dei Calegheri
Campo San Toma’, Headquarters of the Guild, near Ca’ Foscari University
Campiello dei Calegheri,
near Ponte della Malvasia,
behind the Fenice Theatre
St. Mark Square, in front of
Caffè Quadri: the sign of the
ancient position of
Shoemakers during the fair for
the “Feast of Assemption”
“per l’arte de Calegheri 1625”
Calle delle Botteghe, Ospeal dei Calegheri Tedeschi, on the cross way to Palazzo Grassi and Campo Santo Stefano

7. www.acrib.it 7
In the footsteps of “Calegheri”Many traces of the ancient Venetian shoemakers are still visible in Venice
Ramo I dei Calegheri
near Ponte della Malvasia,
behind the Fenice Theatre,
arriving in Campiello dei
Calegheri
Saint George Island
Basilica of San Giorgio
Maggiore
Tintoretto, The gathering of the manna (1592-94)
Particular: a cobbler

8. www.acrib.it 8
In the footsteps of “Calegheri”
Many traces of the ancient Venetian shoemakers are still visible in Venice
Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace)
Column 16, The Arts and Crafts
Particular: a cobbler
State Archive Venice,
Close to Frari Church,
Document - March 2, 1430
The height of heels for ladies’
shoes are fixed in 8-9 cm,
in order to avoid the frequent falls owing to
excesses of the fashion such as 52 cm of Calcagnetti
(clogs of leather and wood), designed in the 15th
century (to see in the Museum Palazzo Mocenigo, San Stae)

9. www.acrib.it 9
““Riviera del Brenta”Riviera del Brenta”
The art of shoemaking moved from Venice to
“Riviera del Brenta”, along the
the river Naviglio-Brenta on
the route to Padua, where art
and beauty meet together.

10. www.acrib.it 10
Main historical notes
• 1268 - “Calegheri” confraternity in Venice
• 1898 – First industrial shoe factory in Stra
• 1923 – School of Arts and Crafts (training
Shoe Designers and technicians), run by the
Association of Veterans. Today has become
Politecnico Calzaturiero
• 1954 – First Shoe Exhibition in Stra (Ve)
• 1961 - A. C. Ri. B.

11. www.acrib.it 11
Main historical notes
• Riviera del Brenta footwear originates from the Venetian
“Calegheri" of the 13th century, even if it developed fully only
towards the end of the 19th century. Its real beginnings go back to
1898, when Giovanni Luigi Voltan, drawing on his past experience
in the most important shoe factories in Boston-United States,
opened the first Italian industrialised footwear plant in Stra.
His example was soon followed by many more who, formed
professionally at Luigi Voltan’s “school”, started similar
enterprises.
• The period after World War II experienced shoe factories
proliferating in the Riviera del Brenta, even if quality was not
particularly high at the start. The technological-organisational leap
takes place with the introduction of new machines and control and
organisation techniques, a process supported by the creation of the
European Community and the opening of the great foreign
markets.

12. www.acrib.it 12
Evolution of the service organisation
• 1976 - Cons. Maestri Calzaturieri del Brenta
• 1986 – Consorzio Centro Veneto Calzaturiero
• 1996 - Consorzio Italiano Formifici
• 1999 - Acrib Servizi s.r.l.
• 2001 - Politecnico Calzaturiero Scarl
• 2014 – Cluster “Calzatura della Riviera del
Brenta” (Regional Dgr 2415/2014 regulating
industrial clusters)

13. www.acrib.it 13
Main information – 31.12.2014
• 522 SME Companies (shoe manufacturers,
sub-contractors and suppliers)
• 10,043 skilled workers/employees
• 19.42 million pairs of shoes manufactured
• Sector turnover: 1.86 billion Euros (1.27
billion Euros is the value of finished
products)
• 91% export quota worldwide

14. www.acrib.it 14
Main information (1): Companies
• Shoe manufacturers 130
• Suppliers of Accessories/
Components/sub-contractors 290
• Designers studios 56
• Trading companies 46

15. www.acrib.it 15
Main information (2): Workers
• Shoe manufacturers 6,779
• Accessories/Components 1,695
• Designers’ studios 290
• Trading companies 194
• Partners, stakeolders
owners 1,085

16. www.acrib.it 16
Main information (3): markets
% Worldwide Areas
• 21 UE (28)
• 18 East Europa / Russia
• 03 Other European Countries
• 01 Africa
• 15 Nord America
• 04 South-Central America
• 23 Far East
• 13 Middle East
• 02 Oceania
• 100 %

17. www.acrib.it 17
Where
Headquarters in Stra (Venice), in the middle
distance to Padua and Venice

18. www.acrib.it 18
Memberships and Services
A.C.Ri.B. (Shoemakers of Riviera del Brenta)
- local branch of Assocalzaturifici Milano (the national
association of the Italian shoe manufacturers)
- member of Confindustria Venezia-Area Metropolitana di
Venezia e Rovigo
Activities :
a) relations and negotiations with trade unions; b) advice
on economic and fiscal issues; c) external relations and
press; d) information / newsletters; e) joint purchases; f)
defence of the district interests.

19. www.acrib.it 19
Memberships and Services
Acrib Internal Groups of decisions makers:
a) Board of Directors, only entrepreneurs
b) Chairman Committee, only entrepreneurs
c) Junior entrepreneurs
d) Senior entrepreneurs

20. www.acrib.it 20
Evolution of the district
• End 1800/beginning1900: establishment of the
industrial companies
• 1950/60: research of a medium/high image.
• 1970/1985: conquest of world markets with
medium-high quality products
• 1985/1995 : the international crisis
• 1996: the choice of focusing on top-of-the-range
products and branded products in cooperation
with worldwide fashion designers

21. www.acrib.it 21
Membership and Service
At the beginning of the nineties in the course of a few seasons, the
district remained practically without its market of reference
represented by North European middle classes, thanks to which the
sector was the continental leader of that segment for a long time.
• The choice was made between 1993 and 1994: keeping the market and
move the companies in countries with low labour costs; or keeping the
companies in Riviera del Brenta to upgrade ourselves on upper market
segments, where greater value added would allow us to absorb higher
costs.
• Most of the companies chose the second way, which meant the
conversion of the sector: different subjects were involved by a single
process. As from 1995, a series of industrial policy and joint
management agreements of this conversion process were reached in
cooperation with the trade unions, representing the workers.

22. www.acrib.it 22
Membership and Service
This is almost a unique case in Italy of “concerted action”,
strengthening a tradition operating since 1962 of an additional
territorial contract compared to the collective labour agreement in this
field, by acknowledging in this way the greater professionalism of our
workers on the economic level.
Some examples of these relations whose aims are to guarantee the best
quality of work, and consequently, a better quality of life:
• 1) regulation of work at home, mainly female labour, who is employed
by the company to all extents and purposes, but the person can work at
home, reconciling in this way the flexible professional time
management with family requirements. Today, doing to technological
evolutions and the improving of quality standards, the sewing
operations are mainly provided in modern laboratories.

23. www.acrib.it 23
Membership and Service
• 2) the creation of the Territorial Council, consisting of Acrib
(representing the industrial and artisan companies) and Trade Unions
(representing the workers) as well as Public Entities, with the purpose
of combining and monitoring action of labour laws and problems, and
depicting shared developing scenarios and strategies on: innovation
and research, labour market and protection of the weakest, integration
of migrant workers, flexible working hours and work organisation in
the different divisions.
The factories became modern structures/atelier where, also in the
production facilities, things go beyond law provisions. Massive
investments in research and information technology for designing
leather models and cuts were carried out, production machineries were
modernised.

24. www.acrib.it 24
Membership and Service
• Many things were also done for what concerns health and safety: we
became the production area with the lowest rate of accidents at work
in Italy, as certified by the Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority
figures (INAIL).
• Work on the territory developed on the one hand with the market and
on the other hand with international famous fashion maisons.
• Today, some of the big fashion groups have their headquarters on the
Brenta District, or their own companies, or they are present through
licence agreements.
• Recently some important fashion houses settled in Riviera del Brenta
their own shoe company.

25. www.acrib.it 25
Brand experience
The Riviera del Brenta footwear cluster is characterised by excellent
know-how based on tradition and innovation, skilled workmanship
and experts, high quality of the materials and components used, a
strong qualitatively outstanding aspect of their production and their
high level of fashion look, constantly up-dated.
These are some reasons why almost a good quantity of top-of-the-
range footwear of many of the world-famous fashion brands is co-
conceived, co-designed and produced by shoe companies of Riviera
del Brenta. This cooperation is subject to strict privacy.
The fashion brands sell their branded shoes exclusively in their shops
all over the world.

26. www.acrib.it 26
We are the fashion
• Alain Tondowski
• Alessandro dell’Acqua
• Angelo Figus
• Anna Sui
• Anne Klein
• Anteprima
• Bally
• Barbara Bui
• Borbonese
• Borsalino
• Bottega Veneta
• Bruno Magli
• Cacharel
• Callaghan
• Calvin Klein
• Capucine
• Celine
• Chanel
• Chloé
• Christian Dior
• Christian Lacroix
• Clemens Ribeiro
• Coccinelle
• Costume National
• Diesel
• Dirk Bikkembergs
• Oscar de la Renta
• Paco Rabanne
• Pal Zileri
• Paul Smith
• Philippe Model
• Porsche Design
• Prada
• Ralph Lauren
• Richard Tyler
• Rodolphe Menudier
• Sonia Rykiel
• Stephane Kélian
• Strenesse
• Valentino
• Vera Wang
• Veronique Branquinho
• Victor & Rolf
• Walter Steiger
• Yves Saint Laurent
and many others brands have
cooperated or are cooperating
with our shoecompanies
•Helen Joy
•Iceberg
•Jan & Carlos
•Jimmy Choo
•Joan & David
•John Galliano
•John Richmond
•Joop
•Kallistè
•Kenzo
•Kristina Ti
•Lamborghini
•Laura Biagiotti
•Leopoldo Giordano
•Loewe
•Louis Vuitton
•Maliparmi
•Malo
•Marc Jacobs
•Martine Sitbon
•Maud Frizon
•Michel Perry
•Missoni
•Miu Miu
•Nina Ricci
•Dolce & Gabbana
•Donna Karan
•Dove Nuotano gli Squali
•Dries Van Noten
•Duccio del Duca
•Eglantine
•Emanuel
•Ungaro
•Emilio Pucci
•Emporio Armani
•Ermanno Scervino
•Ernesto Esposito
•Escada
•Etro
•Fendi
•Ferragamo
•Furla
•Gattinoni
•Genny
•Gianfranco Ferrè
•Gianni Versace
•Giorgio Armani
•Giuliana Teso
•Givenchy
•Gucci
•Guess

27. www.acrib.it 27
Politecnico Calzaturiero
Headquarters in Capriccio di Vigonza (PD)

28. www.acrib.it 28
Politecnico Calzaturiero
1923 – Birth of the festive
school of Arts and Crafts
‘Ottorino Tombolan Fava’
2001 – Foundation of
Politecnico Calzaturiero Scarl

29. www.acrib.it 29
Memberships and Services
Politecnico Calzaturiero Scarl
(former Consorzio Centro Veneto Calzaturiero):
Services:
a) Vocational Training – School for shoe designers and
Production managers;
b) Research and Technological innovation;
c) Quality check-up;
d) Safety at workplaces;
e) Testing and research on new materials.
f) participation on EU calls for international cooperation
for innovation and research (Program Leonardo, Leeds,
etc.)
g) Cooperation with International Institutes for Design

30. www.acrib.it 30
30
TT
RR
AA
II
NN
II
NN
GG
TT
RR
AA
II
NN
II
NN
GG
ORIENTATION
•Scarpetta D’Oro
•Schools network
•Educational workshops
•University network
ORIENTATION
•Scarpetta D’Oro
•Schools network
•Educational workshops
•University network
Post High-School Training
• Area Planning
• Industrialization
• Marketing and Commerce
• 3D CAD Design
• Business Management
Post High-School Training
• Area Planning
• Industrialization
• Marketing and Commerce
• 3D CAD Design
• Business Management
HIGH LEVEL TRAINING
•ITS -Biennial post degree
•Fellowships for Graduates
•Master Polidesign Planning
•Parsons School Collaboration
HIGH LEVEL TRAINING
•ITS -Biennial post degree
•Fellowships for Graduates
•Master Polidesign Planning
•Parsons School Collaboration
School of Shoe Design – professional training
• Two years of modelling and technology
• Stylistics and Technology Specialization
• CAD 2D-3D
• Design and manufacture of handmade luxury footwear
School of Shoe Design – professional training
• Two years of modelling and technology
• Stylistics and Technology Specialization
• CAD 2D-3D
• Design and manufacture of handmade luxury footwear
QQ
UU
AA
LL
II
TT
YY
ANDAND
SS
EE
CC
UU
RR
II
TT
YY
QQ
UU
AA
LL
II
TT
YY
ANDAND
SS
EE
CC
UU
RR
II
TT
YY
Laboratory Services for Venetian
Companies
Laboratory Services for Venetian
Companies
Rapid Prototyping Services and
3D printing
Rapid Prototyping Services and
3D printing
New Materials Research and
Testing
New Materials Research and
Testing
Environmental analysis services
for Venetian companies
Environmental analysis services
for Venetian companies
Training for Security ManagersTraining for Security Managers
INNOVATION TECHNOLOGYINNOVATION TECHNOLOGYINNOVATION TECHNOLOGYINNOVATION TECHNOLOGY
Research and innovation in product and
process
Research and innovation in product and
process
Testing&dissemination of New Technologies.
Lab for quality tests and quick prototyping
Testing&dissemination of New Technologies.
Lab for quality tests and quick prototyping
RESEARCH
•Formalization and
Promotion of Knowledge
Craft
•Certification Skills
RESEARCH
•Formalization and
Promotion of Knowledge
Craft
•Certification Skills
LIFELONG LEARNING
• Training of Entrepreneurs, Managers, Executives and
Technicians in the Footwear Industry
• Commercial Area, Organizational and Technical
LIFELONG LEARNING
• Training of Entrepreneurs, Managers, Executives and
Technicians in the Footwear Industry
• Commercial Area, Organizational and Technical
Politecnico Calzaturiero

31. www.acrib.it 31
Politecnico Calzaturiero
The numbers of Politecnico’s training activities:
 100 young unemployed people
 175 students attending the school, both for shoes and
bags (school year 2015/2016), 20% coming from
other Italian Regions,
 about 2,500 people trained every year
 200 companies involved in the activities

32. www.acrib.it 32
Politecnico Calzaturiero
The profile:
• It is a private school
• the «teachers» are all «employed» experts working in
the factories
• the «students» will be all employees
• In the school, you can see the whole process of
“creating a shoe”
• The companies participate at the school activities
• It is a model at National, European and International
level
• Agreement with the Parson’s School of Design New
York

33. www.acrib.it 33
Politecnico Calzaturiero
Some prototypes by the students, for the examinations at the end of school year

34. www.acrib.it 34
Politecnico Calzaturiero
The new tecnologies help the creativity:
3d-printer, graphic design, laser cutting,
advaced design programmes are
available at Politecnico Calzaturiero
in the teaching plan for students:
Boot (examination prototype)
The Clock Tower of St. Mark in Venice.
Made of leather and cork
Heel of abs plastic by 3d printer
(height 93 cm)

35. www.acrib.it 35
Politecnico Calzaturiero
The original and
the copy
Photo by S.Miotto

36. www.acrib.it 36
Politecnico Calzaturiero
Boot (examination prototype)
“Specola”
The Observatory in Padua.
Made of leather and cork.
(height 51 cm)
Shoe (examination prototye)
The path and arcades
in Padua
Heel of abs plastic by
3d-printer, reproducing
a tower-house

37. www.acrib.it 37
Politecnico Calzaturiero
THE LABORATORYTHE LABORATORY
The laboratory is an accredited institution for
certification since 2015, in cooperation with Analytical:
– Providing rapid testing and ‘on site' service to the
companies;
– Making culture on product innovation;
– Testing quality and security of materials according to
international legislations and criteria

38. www.acrib.it 38
Politecnico Calzaturiero
Looking to the future:
A master at summer school with intensive
programme and lessons in English

39. www.acrib.it 39
Politecnico Calzaturiero
Laboratory for quality testing and certification of materials, in
cooperation with Analytical.

40. www.acrib.it 40
Politecnico Calzaturiero
The rapid prototyping laboratory provides services to shoe companies which
want to develop prototypes of heels, soles etc., with the most innovative
machines based on vacuum casting and 3D printers. The laboratory offers
also a service of automatic digitalization of lasts and shoes. The realization of
this lab was possible thanks to the Regional Law for Industrial Cluster.

41. www.acrib.it 41
Memberships and Services
Politecnico Calzaturiero Scarl
Training and research network, for the
implementation of these research initiatives in the
field of training and technological innovation :
Primary, Secondary and High Schools
University (Padua, Venice, Bocconi, Luiss etc.)
Research Institutes (CNR National Research
Council, ENEA)
Regional centres promoting innovation (Veneto
Innovazione, Technology Parks “Galileo”,
“Vega”, etc.)
Consultancy firms and private experts

42. www.acrib.it 42
Memberships and Services
• An example of active collaboration with the
University of Padua - Department of Chemical
Processes of Engineering – carried out in 2005-2006,
for studying nanotechnologies applied to leather,
fabrics and components used in the footwear sector.
• The project studied new materials and the
improvement of the characteristics of existing
materials in order to allow the introduction of style
and product innovations and the improvement of
footwear quality and comfort. The purpose was the
reduction of nanodeposits and dispersion of organic
and inorganic nanomaterial.

43. www.acrib.it 43
Memberships and Services
In order to better meet the increase in the demand of luxury
products, and since we did not find a sufficient number of
young workers in the District Riviera del Brenta to employ in
the production departments, the cluster undersigned an
agreement with the Casarano district in the province of Lecce.
This represents a national “relocation” in a Italian area with a
strong footwear tradition, with young workers thrown out
from companies that were not competitive any more. Several
thousand people who, properly retrained by our Politecnico
Calzaturiero, will represent the grounds justifying our
investments in that area as well as starting industrial
partnerships. The result will allow us to maintain high quality
and Made in Italy standards. Politecnico Calzaturiero is
opening a branch for professional training.

44. www.acrib.it 44
Memberships and Services
Consorzio Maestri Calzaturieri del Brenta
Department for Internationalization
Activities:
• Organization of joint trade fairs and exhibitions abroad.
• Common show-rooms abroad.
• Defence of product and industrial property.
• Management of the common logo and its registration
worldwide.
• Export services (legal advice, market researches, Cites, Carnet
Ata, etc.).
• Business information data-bank.

45. www.acrib.it 45
Memberships and Services
• Training seminars on foreign legislations
• Researches on consumers trends.
• Researches on fashion and colours trends for a six-monthly
update of collections.
• P.R. and joint promotion.
• Business diplomacy (business delegations, press, institutions).
• Multilingual translation and interpreting.

46. www.acrib.it 46
Main joint exhibitions
1977 – First joint participation “Riviera del
Brenta” at the GDS – Duesseldorf, today at its
122th
edition (twice each year)

47. www.acrib.it 47
Joint Exhibition
The new collective stand was one of the first project
realized thanks to the support by the Veneto Regional
Law for the Industrial Clusters. It was created and build
with a new Veneto-Italian
look in 2004, meeting the
image of our territory.
It is nowadays considered
one of the most beautiful
collective stands at GDS.

48. www.acrib.it 48
2012: 35 years of participation at Gds
In September 2012 the Consorzio celebrated its first 35 years of
partipation as collective stand at Gds. We represent a major client for
Messe Duesseldorf GmbH, the fair company of Gds. With their
cooperation we organized a fashion show for 3 days presented to press
and buyers. We used Venice as the cultural background of this
amazing event on catwalk.

49. www.acrib.it 49
2012: 35 years of participation at Gds
At the end, a bruch was opened to the 350 guests introducing them to the
“Venice Experience” of culinary tradition and wines, prepared by a Venetian chef
the Consorzio brought to Duesseldorf for the occasion.
“We are the sons of our territory, so we let know our life experience worldwide.”

50. www.acrib.it 50
Experience: Showrooms abroad
• 1999-2010 – Joint Showroom Venetian Fashion Group, New York, Usa. 10
years of activities to help and to support the companies willing to enter the
market. The Consorzio mainly organized workshops, promotional events of
Venetian experiences (food & wines), fashion shows, model shooting in
Venice for the US-press, in order to improve the knowledge of Riviera del
Brenta on the market. Nowadays the companies are indipendent.

51. www.acrib.it 51
Experience: Showrooms abroad
• 2003-2011 – Opening of Showroom Venetian Fashion Group, Beijing, China.
8 years of activities to help and to support the companies willing to enter the
market. The Consorzio mainly organized workshops, promotional events of
Venetian experiences (food&wines), fashion shows, model shooting in Venice
for the China press, in order to spread and improve the knowledge of Riviera
del Brenta on the market. Nowadays the companies are indipendent.

52. www.acrib.it 52
Venetian Fashion Group
The Consortium realized in the showrooms Venetian
Fashion Group primarily promotional activities in order to
promote in the U.S. and in China the knowledge of the
footwear district of the Riviera del Brenta and the culture
and tradition of Venetian shoemaking:
conference about fashion trends, B2B workshops, fashion
shows, food and wine tastings of typical Venetian
specialites, fairs and temporary exhibitions of footwear,
evening entertainment fashion-lifestyle; PR activities
towards media with articles and editorials in fashion and
tourism magazines

53. www.acrib.it 53
Venetian Fashion Group

54. www.acrib.it 54
Venetian Fashion Group
Shooting in Venice for international
fashion magazines
Cosmopolitan, L’Officiel

55. www.acrib.it 55
Communication to the trade

56. www.acrib.it 56
How to read footwear
• A promotional and educational action with the
traders worldwide (department stores, shop-in-
shop, flagship-shops, retailers etc.) to educated the
selling personal to distinguish a high quality shoe
from similar ones of lower characteristics, and to
present it to the consumers in the right way. The
aim was to spread the culture of shoemaking of
high quality.
• 35,000 copies of quick-guide and videotape in 5
languages (Italian, German, English, French and
Japanese).

57. www.acrib.it 57
7 Centuries of Art
“7 centuries of Art”: a collection of 6 photo books, published evey 6
months, promoting the geografical, cultural, historical, artistic-
architectural environment and territory (Venice and the villas along
Riviera del Brenta) near the most representative shoes of each season,
both summer and winter. The photo books on large-format volume were
sent to 15,000 shoe selling points and shops in Italy and Europe to
decorate their windows. The aim was to illustrate to the consumers
which territory and history the high fashion shoes were coming from.

58. www.acrib.it 58
100 years of footwear industry in Riviera del Brenta
"100 years of footwear industry in Riviera del Brenta": a volume of 480 pages, with slipcase.
Published in 1998 to celebrate the first centenary of the footwear industrial district in Riviera
del Brenta. This work represents the result of two years of research and study by the
University of Padua and of Venice about the relashionship between industry and territory,
social evolution during the 20th century and connection to the tradition. It was realized in
Italian, with an excerpt in English, distributed to more than 1,000 Vips, traders, press and TV,
Faculty of Economic History, University Libraries and higher education institutes, foreign
delegations of buyers and political representatives.

59. www.acrib.it 59
Special promotional events
We aim not to let forget that the shoes of the Riviera del Brenta are
witnessing a Venetian "life style" and representing the "Made in Italy“.
Conjure the history, the culture, the beauty of the area in which the shoes
are born with our footwear industrial production is for us an essential
message to bring in foreign markets. Our promotion and communication
in favour of the footwear district characteristics are based on centuries of
history, tradition, high quality and research of innovative models, of
spectacular legacy of style and taste for beauty and fashion content,
culture and tendecy to trade on the foreign markets. We are always
striving to bring about a greater knowledge of the productions of
excellence coming from the Riviera del Brenta on international markets,
with high profile initiatives of cultural and historical importance, which
are very appreciated in the world .

60. www.acrib.it 60
Special promotional events
a) Historical-cultural exhibition “The Fashion
Trades in Venice, from the 13th
to the 18th
century”

61. www.acrib.it 61
The Fashion Trades in Venice
An exhibition that proposes a significant overview of Venetian fashion
over six centuries of the history of the "Serenissima", illustrating over
fifty "trades" (arts and crafts). The setting is evocative, all in wood and
glass, inspired by "L'antica Fiera della Sensa", the painting by Gabriel
Bella, that shows the shops in St. Mark's Square on the occasion of the
Fiera della Sensa (Asemption day). Born of a long and accurate
scientific and historical research, the exhibition, organised by dr.a
Doretta Davanzo Poli, summarizes the evolution of the Venetian Arts -
from the origin of their statutes in the 13th century to their dissolution
after the fall of the Serenissima in 1797 - that dealt with "fashion" in
Venice, of all those "minor arts" that produced accessories and of the
important lace production in Burano. All this made Venice for
centuries the capital of fashion and gave rise to a tradition that is still
alive in thriving productive enterprises. The "Calzaturieri della Riviera
del Brenta", the Calegheri's only heirs, are part of these.

62. www.acrib.it 62
The Fashion Trades in Venice
"I Mestieri della Moda a Venezia", a spectacular and incomparable
parade of priceless finished products and original fashion documents,
is made possible thanks to the loan of important Italian public
collections (mainly by Museo Correr) and numerous Italian and
foreign public collectors. Each trade is analysed and represented in the
different sections with a subdivision that allows the widest survey of
each "art”.
The main trades featuring in the exhibition are:
• shoemakers and cobblers ("calegheri" and "zavateri");
• taylors ("sartori");
• weavers ("samiteri, veluderi, laneri, fustagneri, linaroli");
• haberdashers, cloth merchants ("marzeri");

63. www.acrib.it 63
The Fashion Trades in Venice
• the most various productions, from gloves to accessories, passementerie, lace, etc.;
• minor arts such as dyers ("varoteri"), tanners ("filatori"), furriers ("chiovaroli").
The exhibition is enriched by paintings, drawings, engravings illustrating, both
from a technical and historical point of view, the artisans' life together with the
stages of manufacture, the tools, shops and their signs. Machines and the tools of
the trade, as well as clothes and precious cloths, shoes, lace, hats and reading
glasses complete the wider mosaic presented by the culture of Italian fashion.
The Arts and Crafts of Fashion in Venice was presented in:
Venice (1988), Berlin (1994), New York (1995-96),
London (1997), Beijing (2004), Saint Petersburg (2005).
The exhibition was visited by more than 420,000 visitors.

64. www.acrib.it 64
“I Mestieri della Moda”
“La fiera della Sensa” (The Ascension’s Day fair), inspired by the paitings of Gabriel Bella (1730-1799)
Layout of our exhibition, London 1997

65. www.acrib.it 65
“I Mestieri della Moda”
St. Petersburg 2005
The Art of Lacemakers
The Art of Shoemakers

66. www.acrib.it 66
Special promotional events
b) Show/fashion parade/musical “Riflessi
Veneziani” (Venetian Reflections)
Beijing 2005

67. www.acrib.it 67
“Riflessi Veneziani”
• It is a parade - show consisting of 7 "pictures" representing the
fashion and footwear in Riviera del Brenta and Italy in a
historical-cultural environment in the form of a Renaissance
musical. Seven moments recalling the history of Venice, starting
from the fifteen hundreds with the "Marriage to the Sea" with
the Doge's procession inspired by Gentile Bellini, to the popular
"Commedia dell'Arte", to the splendour and luxury of the 18th
century of "Giacomo Casanova", to the burn of the Teatro della
Fenice in the 19th century. The show continues with the famous
fairy tale "Cinderella in Venice" in an evocative and ideal
setting, to get to modern times with a revisiting of Luchino
Visconti's masterpiece "Death in Venice" and a show with
clothes and shoes from the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies.

68. www.acrib.it 68
Riflessi Veneziani
Cinderella

69. www.acrib.it 69
Riflessi Veneziani
The staff “Riflessi Veneziani”

70. www.acrib.it 70
“Riflessi Veneziani”
The grand finale ends the show with the performance of the "Venice
Carnival", a blend of phantasy and exaggeration in a feast of colours that
will surely enchant the audience. The cast includes 190 people hinging on
4 Commedia dell'Arte actors from the Veneto region, supported by scores
of extras including dancers, models, jugglers and acrobats that take turns
on the stage and/or the balconies (if present in the theatre).
"Venetian Reflections" has been staged in:
Berlin (1994), New York (1995), London (1997), Warsaw (2000),
Beijing (2005), Moscow (2006).
50 minutes of an exclusive Venetian experience for 400 guests by every
edition.
At the end, a dinner with Venetian specialties of our culinary tradition.

71. www.acrib.it 71
“Riflessi Veneziani”
Quick-guide “Riflessi Veneziani” (London performance 1997)

72. www.acrib.it 72
Special promotional events
c) Exhibition of miniature shoes Piccoli Passi
(Small Steps) by Pietro Martello
Exhibition in Bejing, 2004

73. www.acrib.it 73
“Small steps”
Piccoli Passi (Small steps): know-how, art,
passion and territory

74. www.acrib.it 74
“Small Steps”
• The current Pietro Martello collection includes over 1000 unique pieces that
vary in size from 4 cm to 10 cm in length.The variety of shoes this artist has
managed to create is incredible.Martello did not just reproduce current styles
for ladies and gents but created every kind of imaginable and unimaginable
shoes. There are European historical reproductions, such as French and
Venetian models; historical reproductions of other cultures: Hittite, Egyptian,
Chinese, Japanese; a series of leather shoes from the Roman era. Then there
are the artist's creations, the VIP series (like Pavarotti, Bill Clinton, Roger
and Jessica Rabbit, the Pope, etc). There is the abstract series that can be
considered a real work of art introducing the shape of footwear; the series of
fantasy characters, like woman with hat, woman with earrings, the "Befana",
man in tails; sports shoes and trainers (such as the Italy '90 shoe). Each shoe
is unique in its beauty and unique for the artist who "feels" it as a part of
himself and from whom it cannot be separated.In
• "Small Steps" - a true symbol of "Made in Italy" – tradition, skillness and
craftsmanship, love for beauty, creativity and imagination, originality and
real art come together in an effective way.

75. www.acrib.it 75
“Small Steps”
The proportions:

76. www.acrib.it 76
“Small Steps”
The exhibition "Small Steps" has had such success that it was equested by
many European and extra-European countries. It was presented for
example in:
• Venice, Venice Marathon - October 1993
• Berlin, Martin-Gropius-Bau Museum - autumn 1994
• New York, The Equitable Gallery - 7th Avenue - winter 1995/96
• London, Italian Academy of Arts - summer 1997
• Milano, Micam - March 1998
• Hong Kong, Asia Pacific Leather Fair - July 1998
• Düsseldorf, GDS, Very Important Buyers-Club - September 1998
• Osaka, Crysta Nagahori Shopping Mall - June 2002
• Peking, China World Shopping Mall - June/July 2004
• Oslo, Shopping Mall e Paleet – June/July 2005
• Venice, Cassa di Risparmio – December 2005/gennaio 2006
• Germany Duisburg Football Championship – June/July 2006
• Paris, Shopping Mall Printemps – February/March 2007
• New York, Columbus Day Celebration – October 2009

77. www.acrib.it 77
Scarpetta d’Oro

78. www.acrib.it 78
“Scarpetta d’Oro”
Scarpetta d'Oro started in 1995 almost as a joke, on the
initiative of some teachers from Vigonovo. Why don't we
ask the illustrators of children's books to tackle the shoe
theme, we who live in a village where shoemaking can be
breathed in the air? they wondered. That's how the
competition started. Why don't we ask the children to write
some stories with the illustrators' works as a starting pont?
they wondered the following year. Scarpetta d'Oro grew
this way. Acrib believed in this initiative right from the
start, in fact it was its main supporter. When a leap in
quality was required so that the initiative could become
more professional, Acrib took upon itself the responsibility
for its organisation.
Further information on website scarpettadoro.org

79. www.acrib.it 79
Scarpetta d’Oro

80. www.acrib.it 80
“Scarpetta d’Oro”
Now the exhibition of the competing works and the
awarding of the prizes take place in the beautiful setting
of Antiche Scuderie in Dolo (Ve).
Scarpetta d'Oro has become the important heritage of the
whole Riviera del Brenta. The international competition
for illustrators has become one of the most important in
Italy; some of the artists we awarded prizes to have
received coveted recognitions, for instance in the
International Award at the Children's Book Fair in
Bologna, an event at the top of the whole international
publishing sector.
The award for illustrator is on its 21th edition in 2016.

81. www.acrib.it 81
“Scarpetta d’Oro”

82. www.acrib.it 82
2008: Promotion in Germany v/ CONSUMERS

83. www.acrib.it 83
2008: Promotion in Germany v/ CONSUMERS

84. www.acrib.it 84
2008: Promotion in Germany v/ CONSUMERS
In 2008 we realized an action of joint promotion with the tourism
of our Region, both sectors represent the “Italian life style” abroad,
why not to remind it on international market?
Thanks to co-operation of the Veneto Regional Government, we
selected Germany as target, to promote not only footwear but also
other the most important sector of the Venetian production, which,
similarly to footwear, convey a “life style” typified by outstanding
quality, tradition, innovation and export vocation.
The action consisted in 240,000 quick-guides about quality of
footwear of Riviera del Brenta and quality of tourism in the seven
provinces of Veneto, distributed in 1,200 German shoe shops.
The consumers buying shoes were invited to participate in a
lottery: 130 holidays in Veneto and 300 pairs of shoes were the
prizes.

85. www.acrib.it 85
2011: Promotion v/ CONSUMERS in Austria, Belgium, Germany and Holland
In 2011 we repeated the wonderful experience and we realized once again
the action of joint promotion with the tourism of our Region, both sectors
representing the “Italian life style” typified by outstanding quality,
tradition, innovation and export vocation.
Thanks to co-operation of the Veneto Regional Government, we selected
Austria, Belgium, Germany and Holland as target, to promote not only
footwear, tourism and typical food but also other important sectors of the
Venetian production: gold from Vicenza, Aprilia scooters from Noale,
Prosecco from Conegliano-Valdobbiadene and art glasses from Murano.
The action was similar to the previous promotion. The consumers buying
shoes were invited to participate in a lottery with online subscription and
received a USB stick with all information about the touristic excellences
of the Veneto Region.
We reached more that 245.000 contacts and the lottery prices represents
all excellent products of our Region.

86. www.acrib.it 86
2011: Promotion v/ CONSUMERS in Austria, Belgium, Germany and Holland
The project was presented to the press in Berlin, on March
2011, during the ITB (International Tourism Fair).
In Duesseldorf, in March 2011, at GDS (International Shoe
Fair).

87. www.acrib.it 87
2011: Promotion v/ CONSUMERS in Austria, Belgium, Germany and Holland
In Wien, in June 2011, presenting the results of the lottery and as great final
event a lyric concert, organized in cooperation with Verona Arena.
At the end of each conference, a delicious testing of Venetian wines and specialties,
with the modern form of fingerfood, promoting our way of life, has delighted
the guests.

88. www.acrib.it 88
The Cluster
Acrib Servizi s.r.l. (Ltd.)
• Tailor-made services for footwear SMEs
• Management of projects according to the
Regional Law No. 8/2003 for the period
2004-2009: THE AGREEMENT FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE SHOE
VENETIAN DISTRICT,
with a own logo:

89. www.acrib.it 89
The Cluster – 1
• Computerized services
• Inter-district observatory
• District web portal: www.distrettocalzaturieroveneto.it

90. www.acrib.it 90
The Cluster - 2
The regional law for industrial clusters, operating in
the Veneto Region only as from 2004, ensured
support to projects for Industrial Research and pro
competitive Development in following fields:
– Research projects for new materials
– Research projects for new processes and new
machineries
– Safety development
– Environment defence
– Quality certification
– Exhibitions on international markets

91. www.acrib.it 91
The Cluster – 4
Some examples of projects, realized 2004-2008, according to the yearly calls by the Veneto Region,
include:
(Mis. 2a) Micro tag for shoe: management of pre-production samples
(Mis. 2a) Development of Cad software for integrated design of heel, Insole and sole
(Mis. 2a) Innovation of product: nanotechnologies applied on leather, fabrics and components
(Mis. 2b) Successful samples: the prototypes of the Footwear Metadistrict of the Veneto Region.
Support
to the companies in the design and production of innovative samples, using quick prototyping 3D system
(Mis. 2c) Use of nanostructured materials and plasma technology to increase the wellness of the foot
(Mis. 2 a) Development of methods and technologies for innovation and management of the trade-in and
trade-out phases in the shoe companies.
(Mis. 2a) Development of a hardware and software platform to reduce costs of logistics, optimise
information and material flows and increase efficiency of the delivery process.
(Mis. 7) Quick prototype labour, created with last-generation machinery to realize protypes in Pvc,
rubber, abs
(Mis. 8) Integrated managing system: organization of enterprise processes
(Mis. 10) Logistic platform for the Veneto Footwear Metadistrict: analysis and creation of new protocol
in organization and logistic.
And many others……

92. www.acrib.it 92
Public support
The Acrib System applies for a partial support with public founds to complete its
programmes also by partecipating to calls by different entities :
for promotion in foreign countries:
• Ministry of Economic Development / ICE Italian Agency for Internationalization
• Chambers of Commerce of Venice and Padua
• Veneto Region
• Venice Tourism Promotion Agency + Padua Tourism Promotion Agency
for training, innovation and research:
• Ministry of Education and University
• European Commission’s Calls / European Social Found Venetian Regional Government
for any institutional:
• Venetian and Padua Provincial Administrations
• Veneto Region
This is a proof of cooperation among all actors of the cultural, historical, industrial system of
our Region.

93. www.acrib.it 93
Villa Foscarini-Rossi
Villa Foscarini-Rossi is a 17-th century architectural villa complex in Stra, the heart of
footwear manufacturing district. The villa belonged to the ancient Venetian family
Foscarini, it presents a wonderful series of Frescoes dating back to 1652. After a long
period of abandonment, it was bought in the Nineties, restored and dedicated to art and
culture by Luigino Rossi, an important entrepreneur of the footwear industry, with the
foundation of a Museum.
The main villa building is hosting the
Museum of high fashion shoes by
the Rossimoda industry.
The Guest villa (Foresteria) is a now
convention center, wonderful framework
for symposia, meetings, receptions,
events, concerts, book presentations
and other temporary exhibitions.
The park all around gives to the
complex a special atmosphere and is
a spectacular scenary by wedding parties.

94. www.acrib.it 94
Rossimoda Musem of High Fashion Shoes
The museum was founded in 1995. The historic residence war bought to became
a museum, hosting the collection of footwear models by the Rossimoda industry
starting from the Forties of the 20th century.
The company and the villa complex is currently owned by the French finance
company LVMH, who have taken the responsibility of continuing the cultural
mission undertaken by the museum’s founder.
The museum presents inside a collection of more
than 1,700 shoe models, put together in collaboration
with the world’s leading brands and fashion designers.
It also contains a small, but exquisite collection of
18th and 19 th-century shoes.
The museum is opened to public and provides
Information on local skills and traditions
on footwear production along the Brenta river.
It traces the devolpment of fashions in
the second half of the 20th century.

95. www.acrib.it 95
Rossimoda Musem of High Fashion Shoes
Industry and territory, with its beauties, are closely
related in Riviera del Brenta.

96. www.acrib.it 96
Villa Foscarini-Rossi convention center
The Guest Villa (Foresteria) is one of the most beautiful framework for events in Riviera del
Brenta. The main hall was decorated with frescoes in 1652 for the occasion of a wedding of
the Foscarini family. On the walls are allegorial frescoes by Pietro Liberi and perspective
views and decorations by Domenico De’ Bruni.
It has an imposing portico whose selling still has traces of the 17th-century decorations.

97. www.acrib.it 97
1961-2011
On 27 December 1961, the companies of
district decided to join in the aggregate
basing its representative association.
In December 2011, Acrib celebrated
the first 50 years of its foundation with a
ceremony in the spectacular
Hall of Frescoes
in Villa Foscarini-Rossi in Stra

98. www.acrib.it 98
1961-2011
and with the public presentation of the study book
“A walking along 50 years”,
realized by the University of Padua,
Department of Economic History.

99. www.acrib.it 99
1961-2011
The President of Italian Republic, Mr. Giorgio Napolitano,
awarded to the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the
establishment of Acrib an own plate of representation. This is a
great honour for the district.

100. www.acrib.it 100
For further information
Please, visit the websites of our system:
www.acrib.it
www.politecnicocalzaturiero.it
scarpettadoro.org

101. www.acrib.it 101
Thank you for your attention
Maestri Calzaturieri del Brenta
Via Mazzini 2 - I-30039 Stra (VE)
Tel. +390499801422
Fax +390499800503
www.acrib.it
info@acrib.it