Gabriele Gmeiner

Gabriele Gmeiner has carved out a unique niche in the world of cobblery. Since 2002, she has been creating bespoke footwear in her atmospheric workshop in the picturesque Campiello del Sol in the San Polo district. Her space, devoid of modern technology, is steeped in the richness of the human gesture, with hundreds of wooden lasts hanging from the ceiling and orderly tools—awls, pliers, rasps—dedicated solely to the hands of Gabriele and the apprentices who learn from her.

Originally from Austria, Gabriele trained at prestigious institutions in London and Paris, working at John Lobb and Hermès before moving to Venice to study under Rolando Segalin, her mentor, the city's last traditional shoemaker. After a trip to Japan exploring traditional crafts and materials, she returned to Venice, opened her workshop, and earned a reputation as a craftswoman who creates "custom sculptures" that serve as "the foundation of a person’s movement, posture, and identity."

Her work combines her artistic elegance with the finest shoemaking tradition. Each pair requires over 80 hours of meticulous handwork, using premium leather sourced from reputable, sustainable tanneries. Gabriele begins by taking precise foot measurements while the client is both seated and standing, noting details like leather type, toe shape, and heel height. She then crafts a wooden last, followed by a test pair, which is worn to ensure the fit is perfect. The final pair is crafted using the selected materials. The entire process takes about 15 months, a timeline her discerning international clientele finds well worth the wait.