U.S.-based entrepreneur Amanda Carye id building a bridge between Italian shoemakers and American customers. When she spent six months in Italy for a business course, Ms. Carye met artisans who could make a beautiful shoe out of any material, including furlane, which was very popular not a long time ago. Amanda Carye found furlane shoes “highly functional, and very elegant as well“, so she made up a business plan to modernize the furlane for American women.

After meeting dozens of family-owned factories that had been making shoes for some of the world’s best-known luxury brands, including Prada, she reached an agreement with a small shoe factory near Brescia. Her brand, Idoni, is becoming increasingly popular, thanks to the benefits of e-commerce. By selling only through online platforms, Ms Carye manages to keep the prices low and to maintain a high-quality standard.