ALDEN LIMITED EDITION 70TH ANNIVERSARY

This year Cappelletto celebrates the 70th anniversary of the beginning of its activity. It was the year 1948, in fact, when our founder Aldo Cappelletto (now splendid 90 years old) began his first jobs as a master shoemaker and itinerant shoe retailer. Definitely one of the few people IN THE WORLD to have seen and touched 140 collections of men's and women's footwear. And even today you can easily surprise him touching the new collections arriving in our stores, smelling them (yes, smelling them!) and asking where they come from. This is the reason for this long preamble…because today we want to talk to you about men's footwear and the origin really has a certain importance. We usually, when possible, visit the companies that produce the items we buy and the last good visit we made to the world's leading US company for the production of men's shoes: Alden Shoe Company .

ALDEN LIMITED EDITION 70TH ANNIVERSARY

In our store in Treviso and in our online shop you can have a complete view of the #cappestyl selection and for this brand, which is so vast as never before. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary, two shoes were ordered with limited edition color and construction characteristics. The first is an Alden derby made of cordovan in a mocha color variant, a special color that you can only find from us. And a dutiful parenthesis should also be opened on the Cordovan material.

 

CORDOVAN: THE MOST PRECIOUS LEATHER

Cordovan is a special type of leather that has its origins in the region of Cordoba, Andalusia, because it was the Andalusian tanners back in 850 BC who discovered its particular value. Legend has it that the Spanish Muslim lords rode the horse wearing the most spectacular boots, made of a material stronger than leather, but at the same time more brilliant and elegant, the cordovan. It is the part of the horse's breech that has a shell shape, one shell on each side. As jewelers use the chisel to scratch the rock and discover the diamond, so the tanners of Cordoba shaved the skins until they found the cordovan shell inside the skin.

The characteristics of the Cordovan

This shell is stronger than normal leather, and unlike leather, which has a dry, stringy texture, cordovan is full of natural fats and oils. Thanks to these oils, cordovan is sturdier than leather and when bent or twisted, it does not wrinkle, but folds in waves. Even the cordovan coloring process requires specific and lengthy techniques, and looks a bit like a very dry human skin revitalization process: the skin is massaged with specific vegetable oils, several times, until completely absorbed, so to arrive at having the characteristic robustness.

Today, the best Cordovan tannery in the world is the Horween Leather Company of Chicago, which has been supplying the Alden Shoe Company since 1896 and still tans and colors the hides using the ancient techniques of the Spanish Muslims.

Horween  he is still considered one of the most illustrious tanners in the world who uses natural horse tanning and dying processes.

Shell Cordovan, contrary to what one might commonly think, is much more than a colour. It is a special type of leather that comes from a specific anatomical part of the horse from which a complete pair of shoes can be obtained.

The new M8401 made expressly for Cappelletto by Alden in a Limited Edition was not only made in this precious material but the colouring, the mocha in fact, is also absolutely original and unobtainable. The contrasting light leather sole, without lacquering and the construction of the welt with double stitching, give the final touch to this derby for true connoisseurs. Obviously the workmanship is goodyear.

Alden Limited Edition for Cappelletto

Another Alden product that you will find exclusively in our Treviso boutique is the G6901, a Norwegian-made ankle boot, also made in this exclusive material which is Cordovan, with a real rubber sole and waxed laces.

All our Alden products are also on sale online by calling 0422.543655. This is because the sale of such an exclusive product must precede a dutiful and professional explanation of the same. We are always available for any further information.