IT ALL BEGUN IN ARZANO
A true example of how courageous and adventurous the culture and the people of Southern Italy are, one only needs to look to a small town outside of Naples called Arzano. This is where a young man’s story began and is characterized by his tenacity and his will to remain in his native land while nevertheless understanding the need to explore new frontiers as far reaching as C
hina and Africa. This story of tenacity and fearlessness is the about the young Antonio Fiume and what his brand Roi Riviere represents. TONY FIUME
There are young people who leave their native lands for better opportunities, there are some who remain but without much hope of success and there are others, who stay and give it their all to try and succeed. Their ideas become reality and their dreams become enterprises. The story of Tony Fiume is an example of a Southern Italy that not only works but bets on its own future. Tony’s blood bears the love for quality craftsmanship in fashion. A passion inherited from his parents who have dedicated their lives to the realization of the best quality footwear for the biggest brands. Their entrepreneurial story began, in a south that was not acquainted with the art of footwear, because the majority of Italian footwear producers were located in Tuscany. Yet, in Arzano, this small Neapolitan provincial town, a devoted couple worked with commitment and dedication on the production of shoes and in particular on a luxury line intended for an international market. The Fiume family has specialized in custom made shoes since 1930 and was chosen in 1950, by a young Salvatore Ferragamo, to produce his very first collections. The craftsmanship of the Fiume family earned, in that period, the trust of Salvatore Ferragamo, and of Ferruccio Ferragamo right after, up to the point that today the Fiume family produces the entire footwear line for one of the biggest brands in the World. As time went by, the young Tony also became passionate for the same craftsmanship as his family. In 2012, just entering his twenties, with the experience learned from his parents, he knew it was time to venture out. Tony now has set his aims on Africa, starting from the capital of Senegal, Dakar, which is the fashion capital of West Africa. Roi Riviere Brand has launched its creation of new products into the international market establishing in a very short time a great success. This allowed Tony to increase his work force and hire twenty artisans in only specialized in italian small craft business. The footwear production, carried out entirely in a laboratory, from the cutting of the leather to the juncture of the top parts, from the ironing of the loafers to the finishes, follows a strict quality protocol that makes the shoes produced by Roi Riviere become a full member among the “Made in Italy” producers of excellence. Roi Riviere’s footwear is designed and made in the studio from start to finish: from cutting leather, seam uppers, to the finishing process of ironing loafers, there is strict quality control in order to guarantee that the shoes produced by Roi Riviere have the same qualities as shoes produced by the best designers in Italy. Arzano’s dream is not only to sell high-quality shoes but teach people how to manufacture well-made goods in Africa and enrich their economy. Tony’s inspiration for this dream is taking on ethical fashion causes – he believes that African workers should be able to have a well-paying job from making Roi Riviere products. Roi Riviere will then encourage them to save money to buy homes and pay for their children’s education.
