Tito Petrocchi opened the doors of his shoemaking workshop in 1946 in the heart of Rome, and he soon started creating shoes for the booming film industry, at the time when the Dolce Vita mood made Italian lifestyle admired worldwide. International movie stars including Marlene Dietrich, Audrey Hepburn, Marcello Mastroianni and Anthony Quinn visited the Petrocchi workshop to have their feet pampered by Tito’s shoes, who reinvented the classic high-heeled pump or décolleté by incorporating exotic skins and geometric shapes, creating original and exciting designs.
Today, the Petrocchi workshop is run by Tito’s grandniece Daniela Ridolfi, who took over the family business, previously run and expanded by her father Bruno from 1972 to 2003. Faithful to the family traditions, Daniela relies on the collaboration of master craftsmen with 30 years of experience, each of them being entrusted with one or more technical and productive aspects. They create, entirely by hand, bespoke and prêt-à-porter shoes for the international customers of the Calzoleria Petrocchi, from their only shop close to the Pantheon.