Impelled by a desire to create special moments, Berluti frames the sales ceremony as an immersive ritual, with a dual focus on being comfortable and dressing with remarkable elegance. Furthering this zest for fine living, the Swann Club (founded in 1992) rallies shoe enthusiasts around their shared passion.
The Sales Ceremony, Where the Shoe Takes Centre Stage
At Berluti, a sale is considered a special ceremony. It all begins in the ring, in the original club chairs. Comfortably seated in a perfect position to try on – and also admire – his Berlutis, the client experiences a unique ritual. His old shoes are removed and disappear to make way for the promise of the new. He stands, and the anatomy of his feet – their width, arch, instep – is analysed with an acuteness born of many years’ practice. Because here we never ask the shoe size, we reveal the form.
After the client has made his selection, he's offered comfortable Oman mules to slip into while he waits, so he can explore the store at his leisure. When his selection arrives, it’s presented like a precious object and set down with the toe facing forward, allowing him to contemplate it to its best advantage.
The Berluti advisor gracefully slips the shoes onto the client's feet, using a shoehorn to perfect the gesture. Next he invites the client to look at himself in the mirror and walk around the leather ring in the shoes, to get a sense of how comfortable and beautiful they are.
« C'est le soulier qui vous choisit »Olga Berluti
Around a hundred shoe aficionados belong to this ultra-exclusive circle, which offers Berluti clients a unique interlude in an enviable location once or twice a year. Here, the shoe is celebrated as a true object of desire, elevated by the ritual of polishing with ice-cold water or champagne – a nod to the Russian officers who once used vodka to shine their boots. Patina, shades, and gleaming reflections are cheerily discussed by this passionate group of insiders, knowledgeable amateurs, and lovers of beauty.
The Swann Club, illustration by Jean-Philippe Delhomme
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