It is funny how the best things in life are often out of reach.

For years I lived in the UK and USA and thought I knew about shoes... Then I moved to Italy.

What a surprise - I discovered some marvellous shoes made by small artisans in tucked away corners of Italy. These are people who make handcrafted leather shoes of such an exquisite quality that it literally takes your breath away.

The funny thing is I never realized that the "designer shoes" I once wore were so inferior. I have now learned the difference and it is huge. The difference between something made in a factory and something made with painstaking care and attention to detail by a family who have made shoes for generations is unbelievable. For these are people who view shoes as a work of art - each pair takes weeks to make.

The trouble is to find these shoes you need to get yourself over to Italy, None of these shoemakers sell outside of Italy and you will only find their shoes in a few very exclusive boutiques in Milan and Rome. Most of them cannot make more than a few hundred pairs a month and have never though of selling outside of Italy. Most of these guys don't speak a word of English so where would they even begin?

I spoke to a friend of mine a while back in New York who asked me if I could find him ''designer Italian shoes" for his store. I suggested he stock some handmade shoes instead but no he didn't get it. He rather wanted a 'label' at twice the price and half the quality.

When will people discover the real secrets of Italy?

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