Have you dreamed of buying a pair of handmade Italian shoes that live up to the Made In Italy standards? They aren’t easy to find any more, but I know of a place…shop the local atelier Rose’s Roses in Milano.
If you’ve ever dreamed of owning your own pair of handmade Italian shoes, then you’re in luck. I know just the place. When in Milan, the fashion capital of Italy, don’t be starstruck by big names like Prada, Ferragamo, and Gucci. True handmade Italian shoes are a dime a dozen and are a very rare art form to come by nowadays, even in Italy, as globalization takes its toll. But when you do come by those few local ateliers, you’ll see that they live by the Made In Italy standards, work closely with some of the best local artisans in the country, and offer personalization and creativity that even high-end bespoke Italian brands have a hard time matching. So I’m sharing my secret with you. Next time you’re shopping through the streets of Milan in search of handmade Italian shoes, local atelier Rose’s Roses is the place to go.
But before we jump right into the creative genius behind Rose’s Roses, let’s take a minute of pause and enjoy la dolce vita alla italiana, the Italian way. After about an hour long journey from Lago Maggiore, I stepped off the train at Milano Centrale. First things first, before we even get to Rose’s Roses, a coffee is in order. My mom and I stop by one of our go-to bars in Milan, Caffè Napoli on our way out of the train station in the Porta Nuova neighborhood. It’s a coffee chain you’ll find throughout the city. It’s like the Starbucks of Milan, but better.
We ordered an espresso schiumato (with a thin layer of foamed milk) and a brioche. You can’t start your day in Italy without these breakfast staples. But of course, Caffè Napoli has more than just regular coffee…they offer Caffè Speciale, or coffee specials, on a rotating basis that would blow your mind. Think coffee with cannolis one time, hazelnut the next, Tiramisu the week after, followed by pistachio, nutella, just let your mind wander and they have it.
After our breakfast, we were off to Rose’s Roses. The brand was started by Rosa Aiuto in 1998. After working for famous brands such as Pupi Solari, Henry Beguelin, and Marni and collaborating with names such as Comme des Garcons, Jil Sander, Alberto Aspesi, Loro Piana, Missoni, Bruno Magli, Vera Wang, and Alberta Ferretti–I mean, I could go on, but you get the point!–Rosa opened her own atelier in Milano in 1998, in Via Monte Nero 63. She named it Rose’s Roses. What inspired the creation of Rose’s Roses was her love for women’s vintage shoes. She coupled her love for vintage shoes with a contemporary twist and melded the input of some of the best Italian artisans in the country within the design process. The brand primarily specialized in handmade Italian shoes, but she went on to expand into bags, pants, and jackets as well with a sub-brand called Imp of the Roses.
I met the designer behind the brand, Rosa Aiuto, in August 2019 in her atelier in Via Monte Nero 63. Rosa means Rose in Italian, hence the name Rose’s Roses. My mom had been a customer of hers for a while and was able to get us a personal appointment at her atelier so I could meet with her (and let’s be honest buy some handmade Italian shoes! They’re so hard to come by these days in Italy as the country has become subject to globalization). Her quite spacious office space with big tall windows was hidden inside a small, charming Milan courtyard in the Porta Romana neighborhood. As she let us in the entrance was covered in fabrics and prototypes, probably ready for fitting.
The first thing I noticed was the line of jackets and blazers encircling the room. In 2014, she started designing jackets for her sub-brand Imp of the Roses. Each Imp of the Roses jacket is a one-of-a-kind item. No two are the same since each is handmade with different genres, colors, washes, textures, accessories, buttons, motifs, materials, and so forth. The logo is handwritten within each jacket every single time.
The textures were unbelievably soft, whether the fabric I was touching was silk or leather, it made no difference. Some jackets had glitter, others motifs, others were just simple silk screening, and a few were perforated. The selection was endless and unique. I digressed…while I could’ve spent another 2 hours just trying on the hundreds of handmade jackets, I came here on a mission, and that was to buy handmade Italian shoes! Now that I know about the jackets, I’ll save money and buy them next time. I won’t deny I also got distracted by their cute purses and bags…but again, I digress!
Rose’s Roses designs are inspired by Rosa Aiuto’s own journeys and travels. The first shoe collection she created was inspired by her history with loafers. She created them so they could be interchangeably used night or day, for a party or for a stroll down the block. It was her first shoes, the loafer, that gave her the spotlight and success she needed to get her business started. In fact it was so praised, that John Malkovich ordered himself a set of 10 loafers he could use for his casual outings. Other celebs who joined the Rose’s Roses bandwagon included Catherine Zeta Jones.
Rosa’s colorful character exudes as she pulls out shoes for me left and right and gives me tips on how to wear the handmade Italian shoes. Her eyes light up and I see her creativity take flight as I put shoes on and watch Rosa at work as she envisions how I can wear the shoes and with what.
So what makes these shoes so special aside from the attentive detail and collaboration that takes place among Rosa and high quality Italian artisans? Each shoe is researched and designed with purpose down to the minute detail. From the material, to the detail, the shape, and of course the style and design. Each item lives up to the Made in Italy standard and regulations, which are very hard to achieve. Rosa works with renowned shoe artisans in Vigevano. Yes, the same exclusive artisans that make Manolo Blahnik’s shoes. The only difference? Rose’s Roses shoes are actually affordable and the quality is the same and the designs are better and more unique.
Needless to say, after 2 hours with Rosa, I left with 5 pairs of handmade Italian shoes. What can I say, I’ve officially found my sole mate. You can order Roses Rose’s handmade Italian shoes online at her store or visit one of the many global retailers that sell her products. U.S. stores include Michigan and California. For a full list of stores, see here. If you want to spend some one-on-one time with the creator behind the magic, you can organize a personal appointment with Rosa herself in her atelier in Milan during your next visit. Just contact her on her website!
All that shopping can make a girl thirsty. Luckily, right next door to Rose’s Roses atelier is PanPerMe, a gluten free bakery and juice shop. Who said gluten free wasn’t a thing in Italy? If you have time post shopping, make sure to swing by here. The small bakery emphasizes indoor-outdoor engagement by pulling in warm, neutral tones, greenery, an open aired space, and the cherry on top– rope swings! I ordered a spremuta, which is a freshly squeezed juice. It was over the top amazing. The perfect pick-me-up to get me to my next stop in Milan…my hair appointment!
>> Next: Where to Eat the Best Breakfast in Milano: Biancolatte
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