Sole Drive

When billionaire Diego Della Valle created the Italian luxury house's signature soles in 1978, it was the footwear of choice amongst men who drove handsome Italian roadsters. Fast forward to today: The Tod's Gommino driving shoes continue to be the wealthy gentlemen's footwear of choice but its appeal has also crossed over to stylish and discerning men who value the history and workmanship that goes into making a pair of Gommino loafers.

Being quintesentially Italian, the Gommino loafers are a labour of love. They require 100 steps to create, with up to 35 pieces of leather to make, finished with 133 rubber soles (intended for grip when driving). They're handmade by artisans in the factory built beside the brand's headquarters (located in its original birthplace of Casette D'Ete) which is now the biggest production centre for luxury footwear in Italy.

Dorino Della Valle, Mr Della Valle's father, established the shoe business in a small factory in Casette D'Ete in the Italian region of Le Marche in the 1940s. Growing up in the world of artisanal leather making, Mr Della Valle showed an affinity for the business at a very young age, following his father on work trips across the Atlantic since he was 16. He eventually founded Tod's in the 1970s and as the company president and CEO, the core of the business remains very much a family affair - his brother Andrea is vice-chairman; his son Emanuele is creative director; and his father, before he passed on in 2012, was still actively involved, testing new shoe designs before giving it the thumbs up for production.