HIGH FASHION SHOES AND LEATHER GOODS MANUFACTURER

SEVERINO ARTIOLI: FOOTWEAR BECOMES HISTORY
"WHEN HE TOLD ME TO GO AND CHANGE MY SHOES".

Getting established

So Artioli started to make his name in the trade, increasingly esteemed for his quality. Everywhere he worked he managed to improve production and received many offers. Sarti, who owned a shoe factory in Varese specialized in women's footwear, wanted Artioli's help at all costs and thus began a collaboration which lasted about six months. "After working all day at "Calzaturificio di Tradate" a car would take me to Varese. I had practically another contract in hand: the owner promised to buy a villa so as to overcome my last doubts". In 1932 Severino married on Christmas day, in order to not lose a day's work, a girl who worked as a hemmer, whom he had met at the Monselice factory. Meanwhile Severino's fame had spread to Forlì and one day at a station in Milan a friend who worked as representative, a certain Savini, suggested an interview with the owner of "Battistini" than employed as many as 300 workers. Artioli takes up the story: "I had a new contract in hand for Varese but the proprietor in Forlì convinced me with an argument I hadn't thought about: "Don't you know a war is about to break out? (EN: that in Abissinia). If you work for my firm you will be exempt because we also make military footwear".
So I went to see the Battistini factory the next Sunday. It was an incredible sight, an enormous factory with three halls on the ground floor and the same number above, producing footwear of all kinds, from tennis shoes to boots. I was also impressed by the reception of the owners, three brothers who immediately made me feel at home and soon became friends.
A salary that was "great", to say the least, cinched the deal". In the meantime Nino Martegani, brother of Ettore who owned "Calzaturificio di Tradate", who managed their shops, was not satisfied with the latest deliveries. On arriving at Tradate to protest about this, he was greatly surprised to find Artioli no longer working there. After quarrelling with his brother for letting such a "treasure" go, he asked for an appointment with Artioli in Bologna through Savini, the representative who had introduced his friend Severino to "Battistini". The protagonist continues: "At Tradate they had already prepared another contract but there was a problem:

The tree Artioli generation: from left the grand-son Andrea, the grand-father Severino and his son Vito.
I had been working for Battistini for four-five months and signed a contract for two years. Also, we had friendly relations that I wouldn't have wanted to break suddenly. Apart from this the three Battistini brothers had sensed something and, in fact, on my return offered me an exclusive contract for a further two years, which I obviously couldn't refuse". To crown Severino Artioli's brilliant career, the idea emerged to open a factory in Forlì, together with the manager of Battistini, a certain Ronconi. The Battistini themselves were willing to finance the enterprise, as long as a valid substitute could be found for Artioli. There were eight-nine months left of the contract and Severino found a place to rent to house the new business. This was spring 1940 and the project was about to start.
But fate had other ideas: Artioli met a friend who had been drafted for what was to become the Second World War. With his usual far-sightedness Severino realized this was not going to be the short conflict expected and, although the machines had been ordered and a substitute found for him at Battistini, the plan was soon abandoned. Once again Severino had to make a quick decision: the contract with Battistini was finished and the possibility of Tradate appeared, with the security of being exempt from fighting. So yet again Artioli transferred all his precious experience and expertise. Naturally the desire to create his own factory was still smouldering and just one day after the war finished Severino went to the proprietor and announced that he was setting up on his own. Artioli adds: "At that point the only thing missing was money.
Millefanti, a modellist from Busto suggested a partnership and I accepted but, meanwhile, my friend Stefanotti, former manager of the Tradate shops, was out of work due to an accident that left him seriously disabled". Severino welcomed his friend with open arms, despite the objections of Millefanti, who finally accepted a pact in three.