TACCHIFICIO MONTI, is run by Lara Monti, the third generation from the head of the company of the same name, has been offering a highly qualified stylistic consultancy service since 1960 for the entire design and production processes of heels, soles and footwear accessories
One of the keys to achieving the satisfaction of its customers as put in place by Tacchificio Monti is a highly qualified professional consultancy service. Thanks to this kind of service, for its deep knowledge of the market and for the experience of over sixty years, over time the Bologna-based company (Italy) has become the precious partner to totally rely on for the realization of even the most ambitious projects, supporting its customers constantly, from the initial design to the finishing of the printed product. High technology, continuous innovation and quality craftsmanship has allowed this reality to always be at the forefront and to carry out every phase of the development and production process of the article internally, transforming simple ideas into concretely feasible concepts. Matteo Tamburini, a young model maker who has been working in the heel factory for many years, tells us about the latest trends in heels and accessories.
The great return of international customers to the fair was expected for some time. How much was your budget?
“Yes. It was good. We have witnessed a good recovery, also in terms of attendance at the stand. We are finally restarting. There is a great desire to meet again and returning to normal after a period that has been problematic from many points of view. We really missed the factor of sociability, of getting to know each other and even socializing physically with people.”
Were the people who came to see you already all your customers?
“We also had new visits, basically from foreign customers. Many English who have approached us were all for special projects, and French.”
Let’s talk about trends. It seems that shoes will become more and more of an obsession. As observed globally, these trends arise from macro trends in behavior and consumption, is that really the case?
“We believe it is a right to give life to creativity, in whatever form it is. In particular, we have re-proposed the transparency because it is making a predominant comeback. For the fair we even created solutions that were incorporated in various types of objects, trying to bring this material to life in a special way.”
Plexiglas or resin?
“There are two possibilities; it all depends on the projects you intend to carry out. If, for example, you want to incorporate an object inside the heel, you use resin, otherwise you opt for Plexiglas with which you can work more easily through molding. Alongside this trend we could define as more daring and imaginative, requests have focused a lot on the classics, therefore towards cleaner styles.”
Are the same trends also valid for accessories?
“Yes. Precisely for the fair we created stones printed in Plexiglas which were then metalized, with a chrome effect, and subsequently lacquered in various colors. Chromate is making a comeback in general. Observing the shoes of recent years, we realized that fashion is cyclical: we had recently returned to stiletto heels while now thick, very high, plateau heels are the masters. We can say that the current direction is towards a sort of opulence in terms of volumes and silhouettes.”
Trends aside, what do your customers like?
“We are seeing them to be interested in different types of finishes: Plexiglas, lacquered, chromed… All declined both on the heels and on the accessories and, the latter, printed rather than made of metal.”
Is customization still in high demand in your industry?
“In recent times a little less but last year we had to figure out how to work in a different way to satisfy requests of this type. It is increasingly necessary to keep up with the times and adopt work methods capable of satisfying the most original requests, inventions that were not even thinkable on a technological level before and which are now possible. The world of fashion is undoubtedly frenetic, but also very stimulating on an artistic and creative level.”
Virtual reality is emerging more and more in the world of footwear design. What do you think? Could that be a plus for you?
“It depends. Sometimes we are asked to send renders because the timescales for making the prototypes are long but it only happens at the beginning of the process because the customer asks us to physically see them to objectively understand the volumes, functionality, how you walk, the effect it has on the ending. The prototype remains an integral part of our work, as is the finish. We noticed that rendering a heel is not enough.”
Are you always at the side of customers and their needs?
“Absolutely yes. We always try to work looking forward to the future, proposing new finishes, new colors, new materials that are always welcomed. However, the customer often starts from a personal idea: this is where all our know-hows come into play. In addition to the purely functional part, which is of primary importance, we always work alongside our customers to find the most beautiful solution on an aesthetic level because often what is imagined and then put into creation has another effect. Thanks to the experience we have gained at the company level, we are now more than ever able to advise how to work certain materials in order to obtain the desired product.”
Your reference market is obviously the luxurious one, right?
“Yes, but we also collaborate with many companies that make mid- range products, so they only need the blanks, the ones that will then be wrapped, or soles that don’t require further processing after the mould. Whatever you look for, we have it.”
TACCHIFICIO MONTI – www.tacchificiomonti.com