TOD´S: MADE BY HAND

Brimming with humour and unexpected twists, British photographer Tim Walker's photographs show the craftsmanship embedded in the Italian luxury brand's history. The visual project The Art of Craftsmanship was first shown at Milan Design Week and will then travel the world for a year.

By Ivaylo Haralampiev / Photo: Tim Walker

THE STORYTELLER

Fifty-three-year-old photographer TIM WACKER became famous in the mid-1990s for his vivid and fantastical works inspired by his love of fairy tales and thirst for adventure. Since then, his remarkable photo shoots and portraits have appeared in top magazines including Vogue, W, and Vanity Fair. He is the author of seven books, his solo exhibitions have been shown in major museums, and his short films and work with musicians have won international acclaim. In 2018, Tim Walker was the author of the famous Pirelli calendar, for which he did his interpretation of Alice in Wonderland.

Needles, scissors, awls, pliers and tape measures star in the entertaining surreal "play" The Art of Craftsmanship by renowned British photographer Tim Walker. The project celebrates the centuries-old craft tradition at the heart of luxury fashion brand Tod's. The models, including people from the brand's team, are often scaled-down and placed in humorous situations.
An exhibition of Tim Walker's work was first shown at the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology during Milan Design Week 2023 and then embarked on a year-long journey around the world.
With an original story of striking photos and videos that have an ironic and surreal feel, Tim Walker shows the work behind the creation of some of Tod's most iconic products. The photographer plays with the 'double life' of the objects and tools needed to handcraft bags, shoes and accessories. Walker gives specific tools the starring role because they are indispensable in the making of iconic products. He admits that for the photographs he sought "a slightly surreal tone, playing with perspective and, hopefully, a certain amount of wit." The artist was inspired for the visual project after a visit to Tod's factory in the industrial zone of Brancadoro in eastern Italy, near the Adriatic coastal town of Civitanova Marche. The surreal sets were created in collaboration with stylist and costume designer Jerry O'Kane and set designer Gary Card. The craftsmanship and tools required are the basis of the hand skills preserved over the years, now defined as true art. "In our increasingly digital world, where so many things are created on an industrial scale by machines, the value of craftsmanship becomes ever more precious. The people I met at the company and their expertise were the real source of inspiration," says Tim Walker.

Born from the meeting between Tim Walker's creativity and Tod's artisan tradition, the story traces the stages of the creation of the brand's most famous products, from the Di Bag to the Gommino loafer. The epitome of the Italian lifestyle, the Gommino loafer was born in the late 1970s. Inspired by 1950s driving shoes, their most distinctive feature is the 133 rubber sphere-covered sole. Cutting the leather and stitching the parts is done by hand, with over a hundred steps involved in the making. There are up to 35 pieces of leather in a model, each of which must be individually processed and inspected by hand before being assembled. The Di Bag was introduced in the 1990s and immediately became a hit with celebrities from Princess Diana and Caroline of Monaco to Anne Hathaway and Monica Bellucci. The techniques for its creation resembled those used by the old saddle makers. Thus, The Art of Craftsmanship is proof that the prestige of Tod's, and the Made in Italy brand in general, has always been mainly due to the great knowledge and skill of the craftsmen.

"The Italian lifestyle and exceptional craftsmanship are core values for Tod's, which Tim Walker's interpretation allows us to pass on to the younger generation by speaking their language," says Tod's Group President Diego Della Valle.