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Twenty years ago, when I purchased a suit at “Tie Your Tie,” I was recommended a pair of Marini shoes — but as they were only available as expensive bespoke, they were out of reach for me at the time. That unfinished business stayed in the back of my mind, and the shoes I finally got around to acquiring are the Marini Oxford Shoes introduced here.
Tie Your Tie
A celebrated Florentine boutique owned by Franco Minucci, renowned as Italy’s greatest dandy and a celebrated well-dresser.
The store carried the finest suits and jackets representing Italian classic style — Kiton, Attolini, and others — along with Ligabue shirts, Rota trousers, shoes by Marini and Il Micio, as well as ties and accessories, all selected and arranged with Minucci’s exceptional aesthetic eye.
Minucci’s aesthetic pervaded every aspect of the store’s offerings, which were priced without compromise. It was the ultimate sartorial boutique with fans around the world and numerous celebrity devotees. The store closed following the passing of owner Franco Minucci, but ties bearing his name continue to be produced to this day.
Marini
Anyone who instantly recognizes the name Marini as the work of a master Roman craftsman is someone who has immersed themselves deeply in Classico Italiano and devoted themselves wholeheartedly to the world of Italian footwear — a true diehard sartorialist.
With no ready-to-wear offerings and a policy of refusing walk-in customers at what is truly among Rome’s most prestigious establishments, there is no Japanese retail presence and almost no media coverage — making Marini a phantom masterpiece rarely, if ever, seen on someone’s feet.
My introduction to Marini came through a recommendation at Tie Your Tie. Had I not purchased a suit there, I likely would never have known the name, let alone had any connection to these shoes.
Looking back, I am still struck by the refined eye of Franco Minucci, who incorporated Marini shoes into a complete coordinated vision encompassing suits and jackets.
About Marini
Founded in the 1890s, when Giuseppe Marini opened his workshop in Rome, the bespoke shoes — crafted entirely by a single highly skilled artisan who spares no effort in every step of the process — possess a timeless appeal that feels no less relevant more than a century later.
Today, the fourth generation Daniele Marini leads the house. Maintaining the founding tradition of a single master craftsman handling every stage of shoemaking, annual production remains at around 50 pairs — another reason these shoes are considered legendary.
As is also true of John Lobb, these shoes reveal their true beauty not on a shoe tree, but when actually worn and paired with a suit. The elegance of the foot when wearing them speaks to the exceptional quality of the lasts Marini has used since its founding.
Marini
A legendary workshop with over 100 years of history in Rome. Italy’s oldest bespoke-only atelier, producing shoes of timeless beauty unchanged over a century.
A true masterpiece that transcends fashion, carrying within it culture and history.
Oxford Shoes
The classic choice for a somewhat formal look is a closed-lacing, single-sole oxford, but as someone drawn to traditional British footwear and country-influenced styles, every pair of dress shoes I owned was an open-laced, double-sole derby — I had never owned an oxford before.
It had also been a long time since I regularly wore suits, so three pairs of John Lobb derbies felt sufficient — and not thinking I needed anything new was another reason I had gone so long without an oxford.
Starting around last year, occasions arose to wear suits and jackets, and putting on my Tie Your Tie and Brioni suits for the first time in a while sparked a change of heart — a desire to try an oxford rather than the derbies I had always defaulted to.
I think this largely reflects a fading of the youthful conviction that derbies were “my shoes,” and a growing appreciation with age for the value of what is considered a classic.
Marini Oxford Shoes
Rather than the calf leather used in British shoes, these are crafted from llama leather (a camelid native to the Andes), resulting in an exceptionally supple, soft, and lightweight oxford. The distinctive grain texture of llama leather adds a subtle, refined elegance to what is inherently a formal shoe.
Notably, unlike the round toe of British oxfords, the toe box is slightly squared off. By avoiding a pointed toe, the shoe achieves a classically refined elegance.
The upper retains the supple softness of llama leather, while the sole is fashioned from slightly thicker calf leather, resulting in an exceptional level of comfort even after extended wear. Another hallmark of Marini’s llama leather is the complete absence of the break-in pain that invariably accompanies new British shoes.
Despite being Italian shoes, they possess a more classically austere form than even British footwear with its emphasis on tradition and formality.
These are closed-lacing semi-brogue oxfords.
Viewed on a shoe tree, the grain of the llama leather has a distinctive texture, but the overall form is rounded rather than sharp — a thoroughly classic silhouette.