La Sportiva mountaineering boots: 1928-2000

In the Twenties, Thirties and Forties

Narciso Delladio hand-crafted wooden clogs and leather boots for many lumber-jacks and farmers of the Fassa and Fiemme valleys, who trusted his skilled hands. Very important is the date of a participation certificate at the Milan Trade Fair in 1928. During the Second World War, Delladio custom produced mountain boots that were supplied to the Army. Dating back to this period is a patent for a special lacing system, that later will be used by the most important footwear factories.

After the war

the demand for boots increased, obliging Narciso to hire new workers: the good name of "Calzoleria Sportiva" crossed the boarders of the valleys and reached the cities of Trento and Bolzano.

In the Fifties

his son Francesco began to work for the company, and by doing the right thing at the right time he started building a new workshop on the outskirts of Tesero, where today is located a large industrial area. In the new and roomy building they began to design and develop ski boots, for a fast growing sport, requiring more technical boots. The market opened up quickly and Francesco Delladio introduced the brand name "La Sportiva" firstly in the Milan Exhibition, then throughout Europe, with a winter collection characterised by audacious technical and aesthetic solutions, and a summer collection of traditional mountain boots.

In the Seventies

with the arrival of plastic boots, "La Sportiva", after a trial season, had to discontinue the production of ski boots, for financial reasons; the investment would have been too high and therefore the production was limited to mountain boots and cross-country skiing footwear. In the meantime the sons of Francesco began to work in the company: Lorenzo, Luciano, Marco. The desire to create, to stand out and to make a name for oneself in an ever increasing market is a characteristic present in the Delladio family.

During the Eighties

the focus of the firm moves towards the climbing sector due to an intuition which will prove to be a winner. An innovative shoe characterised by the colours purple and yellow was devised and produced to become the forerunner of a long series of avant-garde products, which very quickly will seal the success of the brand name world wide. The footwear manufacturer "La Sportiva" became a Ltd Co, owned exclusively by the Delladio family; very courageous technical and commercial solutions were studied and evaluated, that were optimised in a short time.