Santoni: On Beauty
Classic craftsmanship explored through contemporary cultural luminaries
Founded in 1975 by Andrea Santoni, Santoni has long stood as one of Italy’s most revered makers of handcrafted footwear — a brand defined by its dedication to beauty. For three consecutive seasonal campaigns from 2019-2020, TC & Friends directed its visual storytelling, partnering with South African-born photographer Koto Bolofo, to reimagine how Santoni’s craftsmanship could be communicated through culture.
Client
Santoni
Services
Advertising
Creative Direction
Concept Design
Brand Consultancy
As creative directors of Santoni’s On Beauty campaign series, TC & Friends conceived a narrative-led series exploring personal perspectives on beauty, taste and enduring design. Across film and photography, the campaign invited a carefully TC & Friends curated cast of global creatives and cultural leaders to reflect on what beauty means to them, while drawing subtle parallels to the enduring quality of Santoni’s handmade shoes. What emerged was a portrait of contemporary elegance through the lens of those shaping culture across fashion, design, art and entrepreneurship.
For Spring/Summer 2019, contributors included art director and fashion designer Sofia Sanchez de Betak; fashion director and brand consultant Atip Wananuruks; restaurateur Charles Compagnon; jewellery designer Hannah Martin; Larusmiani CEO and President Guglielmo Miani; museologist and writer James Bradburne; architect and designer Patricia Urquiola alongside Alberto Zontone; architect Giulio Cappellini; and Amina Gaye Moroso of the Moroso family.
Autumn/Winter 2019 expanded the dialogue with entrepreneur Arthur Kay, classical pianist Rosey Chan, design studio Formafantasma, artist Maurizio Cattelan, designer Lara Bohinc, photographer and artist Micol Sabbadini, sound artist and designer Yuri Suzuki, and Fantom founder and editor Selva Barni.
The final chapter, Spring/Summer 2020, brought together fashion designer Charlie Casely-Hayford, IWC Schaffhausen CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr, architect Dara Huang, designer Gesa Hansen, Rubelli CEO Nicolò Favaretto-Rubelli and Aston Martin CEO Tobias Moers.
On Beauty positioned Santoni within a broader cultural conversation — one shaped by lived experience and the enduring strength of thoughtful design.
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