The Original Car Shoe

Car Shoe is a special type of moccasin and a brand founded in 1963, by Gianni Mostile, a shoemaker from the town of Vigevano who loved driving.

Since the sole of a traditional moccasin was not appropriate for driving, Mostile created a shoe in which the sole included little rubber knobs, made of the same material as car tyres, securing the grip on the pedals. Mostile's original innovation is replicated by many other brands to this day. 

The model also known as the driving moccasin, quickly gained followers including classic style icons such as Gianni Agnelli, John F. Kennedy, Roberto Rossellini, Ingrid Bergman and Gunter Sachs, to name a few.

The popularity of the Car Shoe grew enormously by the late 1970's, when a casual elegance and jet set lifestyle gained popularity—and from that point on, the Car Shoe has become a fashionable, luxurious item available in many different colours, leathers and suedes.

In 2001, the Prada Group took over the majority of the Car Shoe SA company, with the intention of preserving and reviving one of the most sophisticated and emblematic Italian brands. The 1963 logo was reintroduced and, during the recent years, image, style and the original quality of the driving shoe patented by its founder in the 1960's were restored.

This article was originally written for Lund & Lund