A Gondolier Meets a Sailor

The moment those first boat shoe samples arrived from our workshop in Italy—after over a year in the making—we had a feeling they were something special. Fast forward, and we’re still blown away by how much you love them too. The buzz even caught the attention of The Business of Fashion, who sat down with our founder, Sofia Lombardi, a few weeks ago to talk all about what they’re calling the boat shoe effect.

In a world constantly chasing the next trend, we set out to create something that felt both meaningful and unmistakably ours—rooted in heritage, yet refreshingly new. The outcome? The Scarpa da Barca: a fusion of two cultures and classical styles, reimagined. Or, as one longtime Viani customer put it, “Now this is one shoe my daughter will eventually inherit.”

We collaborated closely with our production team in Italy to ensure the design embodied the elements women love most about our shoes: comfort you notice, quality you feel, and the enduring design you keep coming back to.
Instead of traditional leather or canvas, we chose the finest Italian suede we could find, offering the same soft, slipper-like wearability as our signature Friulane. We kept the hand-stitching our artisans have honed over generations, and of course, our upcycled tire soles—for grip, ease, and a lighter footprint.

While our collaboration boat shoes with Lilly—the very first to sell out—were a limited run, we’ll be restocking our original styles this September, including the Matcha (aka your favorite, our bestseller, the one that never sticks around for long), plus some exciting new colorways that bring a fresh twist to the classics. They’re a true seasonless staple—and we’re already loving all the ways you’ve been styling them (and telling us how you plan to wear them well into fall). Your excitement is contagious, and we can’t wait to share what’s next. Sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss out.