Bontoni is a third-generation luxury Italian shoemaker that manufactures handmade men's shoes. Bontoni was founded in 2004 by Franco Gazzani (third-generation family shoemaker) and his distant cousin Lewis Cutillo. Prior to 2004, Gazzani's grandfather, uncle, and father made custom shoes for a limited number of clients under no label. Many of the models carried by the brand were originally created by Gazzani's father and grandfather. The name Bontoni originated from the French
bon ton, which means sophisticated manner. Bontoni's nine artisans produce just 3,800 pairs a year. From start to finish, each pair of Bontoni shoes takes about 14 weeks to complete and nearly 26 working hours. Bontoni's
Casa e Bottega, or home-based workshop, is located in Gazzani's basement in
Marche, Italy. Bontoni is one of the last remaining established, in-home family-owned artisanal workshops in all of Italy. == Overview ==