OREvery spring, as punctual as the flowering, they return to the feet of the Milanese. The Friulians, with a woven rope sole, velvet upper, and a flat, no-frills shape, they occupy the shop windows of Brera, the concept store of Porta Venezia, noticeboards Of Pinterest And trolleys Vinted. Even in 2026.
Born as a domestic shoe in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friulian has come a long way before arriving in urban wardrobes. No advertising campaign, no testimonials. Just word of mouth, the markets, and lots of them radical-chic look which have made it the manifesto of Milanese spring style.
From the Friulian countryside to the feet of Kate Moss
The history of Friulian women is as unique as it is special. Born like Sunday shoes in the countryside of Friuli Venezia Giulia, nineteenth-century women wore them as an alternative to work clogs. They were sewn by hand with recycled fabrics, with the sole obtained from used bicycle tires and produced in a self-consumption economy in which nothing was thrown away. Yet, once they arrived in Venice, thanks to the non-slip rubber sole, they became gondoliers’ shoes of the Serenissima and from there the leap was short. During the 19th century they began to appear in the wardrobes of Venetian and Milanese nobles and aristocrats, who wore them inside palaces and estates to walk around without making any noise. To then arrive, over the years, at the shop windows of the Cinque Vie.
The Friulians of Vibi Venezia.
From ladies to stars, they also owe their fortune to excellent ambassadors. In 2017 Kate Moss she was photographed with a red pair of ViBi Venezia, and then appeared on the pages of the most important magazines in the sector and shortly afterwards in department stores such as Bergdorf Goodman in New York and Le Bon Marché in Paris. Other celebrities, from Katie Holmes to Sofia Coppola they followed the trend, until they debuted on the catwalks of historic brands such as Giorgio Armani. And the trend is done.
Katie Holmes wears a pair of Friulians in New York. (Photo by MEGA/GC Images)
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Over the years, their radical chic charm has managed to win over even the most skeptical it-girls. This is thanks to a market that is structured on precise levels. At the top ViBi Venice, the Venetian brand that brought the Friulian from Piazza San Marco to New York, e Rooster 1927, which integrated them into its offering of Milanese artisanal luxury. On the front pure tradition, the references are those who have been doing this job for generations: la Parutto family has been selling Friulane in Venice since the 1950s, from the famous stall on the fourth step of the Rialto Bridge. Their The Papu remain a staple, as do the colorful and Mary Jane models Pellizzari And Gallon, Friulian realities that keep the original technique alive.
More Milanese than ever The Meneghine, born in the 2020 lockdown from an idea of two twenty-year-olds with the aim of creating the most glamorous two-tone Friulian in the city, 100% made in Italy. And finally comes fast fashion, how Zara, Mango and Lead for OVS, with proposals more linked to seasonal trends and colors and, therefore, closer to the taste of Gen Z.
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The only risk in wearing Friulian shoes? Slipping into the folkloristic. The rule is simple: the richer the Friulian is, in colored velvet, embroidered, with applications, the more dry the look must be. Straight jeans, oversized blazer, classic trench coat.
A look with Friulian Street Style Mary Janes. (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)
No references to boho, no bon ton skirts or overly cutesy outfits. It works great with the tailoring fluid that dominates this spring, and even better with the total black, where the color of the upper becomes the only accent.
Anyone who wears them with a knitted midi dress or a trouser suit is guaranteed to get compliments. Those who combine them with embroidered linen skirts or long patterned dresses are postponed until September.