Italian heritage brand Santoni celebrated its 50th anniversary by opening the largest boutique in its history on March 13th in Manhattan.
There is architecture that you simply admire, and then there’s architecture you feel in your soul. The new Santoni store on Madison Avenue falls into the latter category; while it is not a design for everyone, it speaks to those who deeply understand luxury. True luxury isn’t about loud logos but about respect for craft, for time, and for oneself—a perspective that the new Santoni flagship encapsulates.
The space takes inspiration from the Chrysler Building, an architectural icon of New York. Designed by Patricia Urquiola, the interior reflects the geometry of the Chrysler Building’s triangular windows, softened with a warm palette of rose and orange tones and rounded furniture that creates a calm, welcoming environment in the midst of a frenetic city.
The boutique spans two levels. The ground floor, with its six-meter-high ceilings, is filled with natural light and features marble consoles displaying Santoni’s key footwear and accessories. Downstairs lies the Bespoke Santoni area, a quiet lounge lined with mirrors and highlighted by a marble workbench, where the in-house artisan carefully repairs, polishes, and refines shoes as if handling works of art.
“The opening of our new flagship store in New York, on the brand’s 50th anniversary, is a very special moment for us,” said company president Giuseppe Santoni. “It was right here, in 1997, that we opened our first boutique outside Italy. That’s where our journey began—a path of growth, expansion, and international recognition.”
To mark the occasion, Santoni launched a capsule collection featuring signature pieces: the Carter wholecut, Marta slingbacks, and a classic belt—all available for customization.
The new flagship, in both its exterior construction and interior design, signals a revival of Italian craftsmanship in New York and reminds us that true luxury lies not only in materials but in human touch. A new era of Santoni is beginning, but the brand’s core values remain stronger than ever.