It’s no secret that European fashion designers set the trends. Styles debuted abroad are usually stocked in U.S. stores about a year after they appear overseas. So, while the rest of us are living in 2019, Scarpe Italiane (261 N Central Ave, Hartsdale; www.scarpeitalianeshoes.com) is living in 2020. This niche shoe store, which opened in September of last year, carries the latest styles of footwear — all directly imported from Italy.
From sandals and stilettos to boots and flats, you’ll be hard-pressed to walk out without falling head over heels for at least one pair (a recent customer purchased 13!). Owned by Louis Bivona and Angela Bencze, the shop stocks only exceptional leather shoes, handmade in Italy.
Before opening the Hartsdale location, Bencze owned 14 stores of the same name, importing footwear from Italy to her native Budapest. For the Westchester location, she works with her cousin in Naples to choose styles from warehouses in Naples, Rome, and Milan that she thinks will suit the local shopper.
Featured designers include Versace, Osvaldo Rossi, Giorgio Armani, and Varese, among others. Bivona explains they try to to bring to the county high-quality shoes at discounted prices, shipping roughly 500 pairs to the Hartsdale location every 10-12 days.
Bencze’s son, Antonio Fugazzotto, who helps manage the store, says that the ideal customer for this Italian gem is “whoever likes high-quality shoes for the long term.”
