At a time when fast fashion dominates and millions of discarded shoes end up in landfill each year, Macian is redefining what modern luxury footwear can - and should - be. Founded by Silvia, an Italian creative with deep roots in Liguria and a profound love for Britain’s shoemaking history, Macian is a breathtaking blend of Italian design sensibility and Northamptonshire’s world-renowned craftsmanship.
Guided by centuries-old English welted shoe traditions and inspired by the quiet elegance of both Genoa and the British countryside, Silvia set out to create something rare: authentic English shoes for women, handcrafted in Northamptonshire using techniques normally reserved for luxury menswear. Her vision is built on longevity, repairability and refined, effortless beauty.
With a commitment to sustainable luxury, small-batch UK production, and a pioneering repair service through Macian x CICON, Silvia is helping reshape the future of circular fashion - one pair of meticulously crafted shoes at a time. In this exclusive founder interview, she shares her influences, her passion for heritage manufacturing, and the philosophy behind Macian’s beautifully balanced silhouettes.
What inspired you, as an Italian founder, to create a luxury British footwear brand rooted in Northamptonshire’s world-renowned shoemaking heritage?
Although I am Italian and living in Switzerland, from the moment I decided to create a luxury English footwear brand for women, I knew I wanted to respect the true origin of this craft. Northamptonshire is not just a shoemaking hub. It is the birthplace of English welted footwear.
My intention was never to create an "English-inspired" shoe produced elsewhere. I wanted the real thing. Shoes crafted in England by artisans in England, following traditional constructions.
For women.
Macian was born from that conviction. Elegant, refined footwear that honours Northamptonshire’s authentic heritage and brings it into the world of contemporary womenswear.
https://www.maciancollection.com
Can you share how Italian craftsmanship and UK design traditions shaped Macian’s DNA?
Italy gave me an instinct for beauty, balance, proportion, colour and line.
England gave me structure, technical mastery, durability and true shoemaking heritage.
Macian sits at that intersection. Italian refinement shaped through the discipline of British manufacturing. Our shoes are feminine and elegant, yet constructed with the same integrity and longevity historically reserved for English menswear.
How has growing up in Liguria, especially Genoa, a city with deep historical ties to England, influenced your appreciation for Northamptonshire’s shoemaking culture?
Genoa, the capital of Liguria, is often called "the most English city in Italy".
Our coastline attracted English poets, travellers and architects, from the Gulf of Poets to the pastel-coloured villas along the sea. Genoa’s flag is St. George’s Cross, the same symbol later adopted by England for its fleet, historically under the protection and maritime influence of the Republic of Genoa. Even recently, the mayor joked with Queen Elizabeth about several centuries of back payments.
This blend of understated elegance, literary heritage and English cultural presence shaped my eye very early.
https://www.maciancollection.com/about
It also shaped the colour palette of Macian, inspired by the muted tones of the English countryside, the warm hues of Portofino’s facades and the soft earthy shades shared by both regions.
When I discovered Northamptonshire, I recognised that same spirit. Craftsmanship rooted in culture, humility and quiet excellence.
What drew you personally to Northamptonshire’s legacy of handcrafted shoes, and how did that spark Macian?
The integrity of the craft. Northamptonshire is one of the last places in the world where Goodyear welting is still executed with true mastery.
My first welted pair was transformative.
The cork layer warmed my feet through winter, moulded perfectly to my step and supported me for miles in cities around the world. The stitching of the welt helped keep out the elements. The shoes became more comfortable with every use.
That level of comfort and longevity is luxury to me.
I wanted women to experience the same, elegant silhouettes combined with the highest standards of English construction.
In a world of fast fashion, why was it important for you to create a brand built around longevity and repair?
Because the scale of waste is staggering.
Every year more than 23 billion pairs of shoes are produced, and an estimated 22 billion end up in landfill, according to WWD and Quantis.
I wanted Macian to be the opposite. Fewer shoes, better made, with a real repair pathway.
Sustainability is not a slogan. It is the natural consequence of quality and longevity.
Macian offers repairable shoes. How does this approach reduce landfill waste?
Every Macian shoe is Goodyear welted, which means it can be completely re-soled and restored many times. Instead of discarding shoes when they wear down, customers can renew them.
We have partnered with CICON, a repair-tech platform that connects customers to specialised cobblers through AI matching. It is simple, accessible and keeps shoes in use for a decade or more.
Aftercare Service:
https://www.maciancollection.com/pages/the-aftercare-service
How does your repair service work, and what makes it different?
Our repair solution is intentionally not exclusive to Macian.
Through our Macian x CICON page, customers upload a photo of their shoes, any brand, and the AI matches them with the best repair specialist for their specific needs.
It is a facilitator. Fast, transparent and extremely practical.
We want to help people buy fewer, better products and take care of what they own.
This is where real circularity begins.
Macian x CICON:
https://www.maciancollection.com/pages/the-aftercare-service
What are the biggest sustainability challenges in luxury footwear, and how is Macian addressing them?
I prefer not to make industry-wide statements without solid data.
What I can explain is how we operate.
Small-batch production in England.
Materials selected for durability and repairability.
Repairable constructions instead of glued, disposable ones.
Packaging made in the UK.
Brushed-cotton shoe bags, made in England.
No overseas shipping during production, reducing transport impact.
Our goal is clarity, responsibility and long-term thinking, without greenwashing.
Your shoes are known for timeless design. What guides you?
Refinement and proportion.
I design shoes that transition effortlessly from city meetings to dinner to countryside weekends. Silhouettes that do not chase trends but accompany a woman’s life with elegance and comfort.
Timelessness is not minimalism. It is balance.
What makes Northamptonshire such an important location for handcrafted luxury footwear?
It is one of the last remaining hubs where traditional welted construction is still performed at scale by artisans whose skills have been passed down for generations. Supporting Northamptonshire means preserving an important piece of British heritage and delivering unmatched longevity to customers.
How do your Italian heritage and your design sensibility influence Macian?
My Italian heritage gives me an emotional relationship with beauty, harmony, detail and proportion. Even when designing something functional, the aesthetic must feel effortless and refined. That sensibility naturally shapes every Macian silhouette.
Macian champions repair, restoration and circularity. What is your long-term vision?
My vision is to help build a new wave of British luxury rooted in authenticity. I hope to extend beyond footwear into categories such as Scottish cashmere, English outerwear and other heritage crafts that deserve renewed attention.
I want Macian to demonstrate that luxury and responsibility can coexist naturally and honestly.
What are the most common repair issues you see, and how do they shape your design decisions?
We often see shoes that cannot be repaired at all. For example:
Plastic or glued imitation welts.
Synthetic counters that collapse with heat.
Moulded constructions that cannot be opened.
Decorative elements that tear the leather when removed.
Soles that warp instead of wearing evenly.
These issues reinforce why we use natural materials, metal shanks, full-grain leather and welted constructions. A shoe should be designed with its future repair already in mind.
How do you source materials? What must they meet to be included in your designs?
We source:
Italian and French leathers selected for comfort, durability and their ability to age beautifully.
Vibram outsoles from the renowned Italian company known for grip and longevity.
Dainite studded rubber soles made in England, ideal for wet-weather traction.
Brushed-cotton shoe bags, made in England.
Boxes made in England.
All production is done in the UK to avoid overseas shipping during manufacturing.
Materials must be durable, repairable and capable of ageing beautifully.
What should customers new to luxury footwear look for?
Look for constructions that support your lifestyle, not just your outfit.
A Goodyear-welted shoe contains a cork filling that moulds to your feet and insulates them. It helps keep out the elements and becomes more comfortable with every mile. It also keeps your feet warmer compared to typical glued constructions.
This level of comfort is luxury to me. Shoes you can wear from morning until evening, across seasons and cities and truly cherish for many years.
Macian shoes are known for their refined silhouette. What signature details make them recognisable?
Our signature lies in quiet refinement. An elongated, balanced silhouette with subtly structured uppers, clean lines and a soft yet polished feminine shape.
If there is one element that defines Macian, it is our focus on proportion. The point where elegance meets wearability, and where the shoe feels naturally balanced from every angle.
How do you balance luxury aesthetics with everyday comfort?
I design for real life. Women should not have to carry sneakers in their bag to change after work.
A pair of Macian shoes should take you to a meeting, then to dinner, then for a walk afterwards and you still feel comfortable and confident.
Versatility by design is one of our core principles. I also spoke about this in my interview with the Financial Times, "Sensible shoes never looked so chic", May 2025, where I explained that many professional women, myself included, used to change shoes throughout the day. I wanted to redesign that experience entirely.
Your shoes are designed to be repaired and restored. What features ensure they age beautifully?
The Goodyear welt allows the shoe to be opened, restored and re-soled many times. The cork insole moulds to your foot, full-grain leathers develop a natural patina and metal shanks and structured counters maintain the shoe’s form over time.
In contrast, glued constructions deteriorate quickly, cannot be rebuilt and often end up in landfill.
What part of the creation or repair process brings you the most joy?
For me, the creative process begins with defining the silhouette, refining proportions, selecting materials and ensuring the balance feels right.
I also love the moment when we bring a collection to life through photography, when the vision becomes emotional and tangible.
As a founder, what has been the biggest lesson?
That building a luxury brand takes time and courage, especially when you stand beside century-old names with completely different budgets.
But I have learned that women appreciate honesty. If you build with integrity, they feel it. Luxury and sustainability can coexist when the product itself is built to last.
If you could pick one favourite product from the Macian Collection?
The Miranda, my very first design.
It is the pair I wear 90 percent of the time, from the city to the countryside, from informal outfits to polished looks. It embodies everything Macian stands for. Comfort, elegance and longevity.
Miranda Chelsea Boot:
https://www.maciancollection.com/products/miranda-chelsea-boots-black
What would you say to someone considering their first pair of Macian shoes?
Choose the pair you can imagine living in.
Macian shoes are designed to support your days, your seasons and your journeys. Always refined, always comfortable, always repairable.
And if you would like to experience them in person, we will be part of a pop-up in London until 15 December. It is a wonderful opportunity to see the craftsmanship firsthand.
What gap did you see in the market that convinced you there was space for Macian
There was a clear gap. Macian was created to fill that space. Real English shoes for real women's lives.
Who is the woman you design for? Who is the Macian customer?
The Macian woman leads a life that moves quickly. She travels, works, meets clients and walks through cities. She transitions between different moments of the day with ease. She cares about elegance but also values practicality. She invests in quality rather than quantity and looks for pieces that will stay with her for years.
She appreciates quiet luxury. She notices craftsmanship. She values authenticity over logos.
Macian is designed for women who do not want to compromise. Women who want beauty, comfort and longevity in the same pair of shoes.
What is your vision for expanding Macian beyond footwear?
I would like Macian to become a catalyst for a new era of British luxury. There are extraordinary crafts in the UK that deserve renewed attention. Scottish cashmere, English outerwear and heritage goods made with an authentic respect for tradition. Even homeware inspired by the facades of Liguria, where I grew up, is something I would love to explore in the future.
The long-term vision is to build a collection of products that carry the same philosophy of durability, quiet elegance and real craftsmanship. A modern interpretation of heritage designed for how we live today.
How do you see the future of repairability and circular luxury?
I believe the future of luxury will move away from constant newness and towards longevity. Customers want products that evolve with them, not items that need to be replaced each season. Repairability will become part of the luxury experience, not an optional extra. Brands will need to design products that can be restored easily and provide clear pathways for doing so.
Circular luxury is not about perfection, it is about responsibility.
It means using materials that age beautifully, choosing constructions that can be rebuilt and reducing the need to buy replacements. It also means transparency rather than greenwashing.
Repair is a form of respect. For the product, for the craft and for the customer.
Silvia’s story embodies everything that makes Macian a standout in the world of luxury British footwear - authentic heritage, modern practicality, refined aesthetics and a deep respect for craft. By merging Italian elegance with Northamptonshire’s historic shoemaking excellence, she has created a brand that champions quality over quantity, and invites women into a world where comfort, style and longevity coexist naturally.
As the fashion industry moves toward more responsible choices, Macian is proving that repairable shoes, thoughtful small-batch production and transparent craftsmanship are not trends - they are the future of sustainable luxury.
Whether you’re discovering the collection for the first time or considering your first pair, one thing is clear: Macian isn’t simply creating footwear. It is preserving heritage, uplifting British craft and shaping a new chapter for circular, repair-friendly luxury design.
