“Nicole” Canfora sandals
Finding a great destination sandal isn’t as easy as it sounds. It has to be stylish, it has to be practical, and it has to live a long and happy life after the vows.
Since a wedding is a time to splurge, we’re going to make the case for Canfora sandals, handmade by members of the Canfora family in the workshop and store they opened on Capri’s historic Via Camerelle in 1946. Since that time it’s been a shopping mecca for Hollywood heavies, European royalty, and at least one American First Lady: the store secretly opened one summer midnight in 1962 for Jackie Kennedy.
Each pair is made to order and if you visit in person, your feet will be measured before the sewing begins. But ordering on line is pretty goof-proof; you’ll print out a digital pattern, then choose a heel (flat, wedge, or 2″), color, and style. The hardest part is actually deciding what you want: There are over 100 styles to choose from, a dozen colors, and countless embellishments (bells, starfish, gems, butterflies).
A couple of wedding classics include the Nicole (above), $385, and the Valentina (below), $310. If you’re a true minimalist, you could do the timeless three-strap Gail ($180) in wedding white—or baby blue, or brilliant fuchsia. And if spending that much on a few strips of leather sounds impossibly indulgent, remember this: These babies have been around for close to 70 years. That’s style with staying power.
“Valentina White” Canfora sandals
