By: Samantha Cortes
URBINO, ITALY — Hidden amongst a sea of leather handbags, patterned silk scarves and feathery dreamcatchers stands 65-year-old store owner Donato Colombo.
65-year-old Urbino store owner Donato Colombo opened his handmade leather goods store, Ars Nova di Colombo Donato, over 20 years ago. The artisan’s livelihood has been threatened by the global fast fashion industry. [Photo: Ava Roberts]
Behind the counter, Colombo hammers away at a piece of Tuscan leather. The display of hanging crystal necklaces and delicate wire rings clank together as he creates the first indents on the soon-to-be pair of sandals.
“I’ve always wanted a job that was hands-on, and learning the process from them was beautiful,” said Colombo, a stern man dressed in a striped vest. Stacks of leather bracelets dangle from his arm.
Colombo is one of the last standing artisans in Urbino — and one of the few remaining leather makers in Le Marche. His journey into leather crafting began in a small workshop in the mountainside Italian commune of Canzo in 1983. Colombo’s friend and a group of artisans opened a handmade goods shop there, inviting him to join the business and learn vital craftsmanship skills from them.
Colombo established his roots in Urbino in 2001 when he opened his shop, Ars Nova di Colombo Donato. Colombo strives to promote the sustainability of his products and preserve the art of leather crafting amidst the globalization of fast fashion.
Throughout his 20’s, Colombo sharpened his craftsmanship skills and grew his business. For 15 years, he hunkered down in fashion-forward Milan where he hawked leather goods, vibrant sundresses and uniquely-patterned blouses at an outdoor market.
By 2000, Colombo had enough of the bustling fashion capital. He packed up shop and headed for the hills of Le Marche, ultimately opening his own leather workshop in the historic city of Urbino, where he was drawn due to its proximity to nature and rich history.
In 2001, he opened Ars Nova di Colombo Donato along the steep Urbino street of Via Donato Bramante, just footsteps from Port Santa Lucia, the city’s then-yet-to-be-built shopping mall. Colombo’s craftsmanship soon caught the eye of locals and visitors.
“People in town saw my sandals and were impressed because they were handmade,” said Colombo. “I saw this place available for rent as I was passing along the street and decided I would stay here. I knew they were interested, so I took the chance.”
Sandwiched between a quick-stop pizza shop and a discounted graphic t-shirt store, Colombo’s vibrant leather-making studio sits aside the rough cobblestone street. Flowy skirts and dresses from India, Nepal and Thailand adorn the entrance of the shop.
Bright turquoise walls enhance the window display of colorful crystals, woven bracelets and earrings in the silhouettes of Urbino’s former Duke and Duchess, Federico da Montefeltro and Battista Sforza. Flyers decrying the war in Ukraine and quotes from the Italian constitution are posted on the front entrance of his shop.
Colombo’s handmade leather goods are sustainably sourced and free of chemicals like chrome, which are often found in cheaply made and lower-quality leather products. Despite his efforts to maintain a high standard of quality, Colombo has faced criticism from animal rights activists over the ethics of his livelihood.
“I see this from a different point of view,” Colombo said. “The skin of these animals could be thrown out, but instead we are producing leather products that effectively use all parts of the animal. It is more ecological than only using animals for their fur or skin.”
In the nearby seaside town of Pesaro, shoe designer Olivia Monteforte rummages through hundreds of shoes in an overflowing wooden chest. Strappy platform heels, black knee-high boots and pointed flats fly about as she examines all of the prototypes she has previously created for her clients.
“I start a new project for every customer,” said Monteforte, a lean, black-haired woman wearing a pair of circular bright red glasses. “I want everyone to have a pair of special shoes made just for them.”
Monteforte’s shop sits on a quiet street in Pesaro. Its large, paned windows reveal the busy workspace the shoemaker spends her days in. Mountains of leather scraps, colorful spools of thread and jumbled laces are scattered around the hefty machinery occupying the right corner of the room. Her handmade creations are displayed in tall cabinets, on antique chairs and along the top of an old wooden piano.
Since 2017, Monteforte has created bespoke shoes for her clients at her shop in the coastal town’s business district. From the initial consultation to her client’s final fitting, Monteforte commits herself to producing high-quality investment pieces that are intended to endure the test of time.
Monteforte learned the art of shoemaking over the course of 10 years, graduating from the CERCAL International Footwear School in San Mauro Pascoli and then professionally training with masters of the craft in Tuscany.
“It is work that nobody really wants to do, so it was difficult to find one of the few places that would let me learn,” said Monteforte, 41.
The shoemaker, however, has faced her share of personal and professional challenges over the course of her career. Notably, Monteforte said she endured rampant sexism from both mentors and customers.
“It felt like I was the only woman,” said Monteforte. “Men around me felt superior and would ask me for favors. Society has quickly changed and I am more confident in my abilities now that I have gotten older.”
Monteforte begins the process of creating custom shoes by having a consultation with her customer, followed up by multiple fittings and comfort tests. It’s daunting, she said; crafting a pair of shoes from start to finish can take up to six months. She often worries about the long-term impact that global fast fashion — a $122 billion industry, which prides itself on producing low-quality garments at an accelerated rate — will have on her business.
“Since you can buy a cheap shoe at stores like Zara and H&M, people don’t understand the point of paying over $100 for my products,” said Monteforte. “I create shoes to essentially last forever, but there is now a cultural mindset to keep buying new items every year.”
Before the global coronavirus pandemic, Monteforte briefly witnessed a gradual interest in learning how to make handmade goods and mastering the art of leather crafting. She has not seen this intrigue return and believes people are searching for steady, long-term jobs.
“I know that my career is at risk,” said Monteforte. “Learning how to make shoes requires a lot of work and I understand that people may not want to do that. It’s hard to make people interested.”
Back in Urbino, Colombo, too, has witnessed the effects of fast fashion creep into everyday life here.
Delivery trucks carrying loads of online orders zip up and down the city’s streets, merchants sell knock-off designer bags at the weekly outdoor market and the city’s mall is now full of fast fashion retailers.
“Amazon has become the main enemy for us,” said Colombo, his piercing blue eyes beginning to well with tears. “It angers me to think that in our future, there may not be people like me creating handmade things.”
Colombo has made it his goal to preserve the art of leather crafting by mentoring a new generation of students. Retirement is something he contemplates often — but not before he passes the torch. His dream is to one day open a larger workshop where he can teach free leatherworking classes to aspiring artisans.
“I’m looking for people who are interested, but not many want to work this type of job,” said Colombo. “I don’t want to force people.”
As the sun sets over Le Marche’s hills, Colombo takes down his colorful assortment of dresses and draws the metal gates to close his shop for the evening. While fearful of the future of his business — and his craft — the Urbino leatherworker remains indebted to the community that has sustained him for the past 20 years.
“I don’t know if others will be interested in this in the future,” said Colombo. “But I wouldn’t be doing this if I wasn’t happy and it wasn’t my true passion.”