They say when it comes to wardrobe staples, there are few pieces everyone should invest in. A good jacket, timeless jewellery and shoes that stand the test of time. It’s a philosophy that informs the Italian approach to shopping and dressing, and one that inspired Rocco Mascitelli to start his own brand of artisan-made shoes here in Australia.  

Here, we chat to the Italian designer and founder of Brando, on Lower Ground 2 of The QVB, about how he found himself launching a shoe brand back in the 80s and what he believes makes a truly perfect shoe.  

1. Can you tell us a bit about the origins of Brando Shoes?  
The brand started in 1988, and it was a product of my experiences within these beautiful Italian production realities that are particularly concentrated in the centre part of Italy, which is where I come from. By spending a lot of time in these factories and being surrounded by all these premium materials, I developed the idea of having a brand that encompasses all of those experiences. I searched and I found the name “BRANDO”, which in Italian means rare and shiny, which I liked as a word to represent the brand. 
 

2. Brando shoes are made in Italy. Can you tell us a bit about where they are made, and the processes used that ensure their fine quality.  
Our footwear is made in Italy, Turkey, Portugal and Brazil with a strong focus on made in Italy (70%). The basis for quality starts with sourcing of premium materials and using artisan makers that have centuries of shoe making knowledge.  

3. What makes a pair of Brando shoes unique?  
When you buy a pair of Brando shoes you are buying into our story and all that goes with it from many years of experience to the quality of our product and last but not least our passion for shoe making. 

4. How do you balance functionality and aesthetics in your designs?  
This is at the core of what we try to deliver. We know our customer and what they want and by listening through the many years we have been able to finetune functionality and design into the perfect pair of shoes that focuses on comfort and quality without compromising aesthetics. Putting this all together is a labour of love that goes from making sure the shoe fits everyone to matching the right materials to a design to come up with the perfect concept. 

5. Can you share three tips for finding the perfect pair of shoes?  
Finding the right pair for you can sometimes be a headache, but in reality it's all about knowing how you spend your time during the many hours of the day and how you see yourself. This should reflect in how you look and what you wear. So be comfortable as you need to be in your shoes for many hours, make sure you buy quality as the materials are important and make a difference in the long run and if it looks good and you feel good in them then there’s your answer.  

6. What is the one pair of shoes you think every man needs?  
A good quality Chelsea boot. 

7. What can we expect from Brando in 2024?  
For this season, Brando Is focusing on mid top to high top trainers in soft vintage leathers and suedes, The famous Penny Loafer look is back with vengeance both in your high shine box leather or distressed leathers and of course our signature boots in lace-up and Chelsea. Look out also for zip boots this season and brogue boots.