Imagine stepping back in time right here at Ex calzaturificio Giuseppe Borri. This building whispers tales of innovation and industry. Founded in 1892 by Giuseppe Borri, it revolutionized shoemaking in Italy. Borri’s factory was the first to fully embrace machinery. Before Borri, shoes were made entirely by hand.
Giuseppe Borri was a self-made man. He built his business from the ground up. He created not only the product but also the market. Borri also organized the workforce.
Let’s talk about those machines. Initially, Borri imported German machines. Later, he switched to American ones. These new machines introduced the Goodyear welted system to Italy. This system is known for its durable and water-resistant shoes. Borri discovered it at the Universal Exposition in Paris in 1900.
In 1901, Borri partnered with Oreste Vitale from Alessandria. Together, they launched the Calzatura Sempione brand. This partnership lasted until the early 1920s. After that, Borri and Vitale went their separate ways. Each returned to using their own name.
Did you know that Ex calzaturificio Giuseppe Borri showcased its production at the Milan International Exposition in 1906? At the time, only four factories in Italy used fully mechanized systems. Borri’s factory was one of them. The company demonstrated the entire shoe production cycle.
In the early 1900s, the factory produced 500 pairs of shoes daily. It employed around 200 workers and staff. Following the Milan Exposition, Borri expanded his Busto Arsizio factory. Production capacity then reached 1000 to 1200 pairs of shoes each day.
During the Borri-Vitale partnership, they produced children’s shoes under the brand Pinocchio. After separating in the 1920s, Ex calzaturificio Giuseppe Borri rebranded as Piuma. Piuma’s marketing was quite advanced for the time. They participated in fairs and sponsored children’s events.
After Giuseppe Borri died in 1926, his sons took over. Ambrogio Borri in particular led the company. He aligned the company with the political ideas of the Fascist government. In response to the government’s call to lower prices, Borri reduced shoe prices by 6%.
In 1929, Minister Giuseppe Bottai visited Busto Arsizio. He toured the Cotonificio Bustese, the Tessitura Venzaghi, and Ex calzaturificio Giuseppe Borri.
The factory’s prestige peaked in the 1970s. They introduced Pelle di Jeans shoes. These shoes were featured in the last advertising campaigns. The company began to decline. It finally closed in 1990.
Ex calzaturificio Giuseppe Borri’s architecture reflects early 20th-century Lombard eclecticism. Camillo Crespi Balbi designed the factory in 1886. The building has a symmetrical C-shaped layout. It features exposed brickwork. Originally, the Domodossola-Milano railway ran nearby. This allowed direct access to rail transport.
Today, Ex calzaturificio Giuseppe Borri stands as a monument to Busto Arsizio’s industrial past. Though partly abandoned, its memory lives on. It reminds us of Giuseppe Borri’s entrepreneurial spirit. It also reminds us of the many workers who shaped its history. The building was purchased by the city in 2001.