How a third-generation Florence shoemaker is navigating the US tariff hit

For almost a century, Valentina Rangoni’s family has been selling Italian-made shoes for the United States through its primary brand, Amalfi by Rangoni. Now, the third generation shoemaker, who founded her own label in 2016 dedicated to women’s footwear, is facing an unprecedented business challenge: the Trump administration’s tariff policy.

On July 1, a deal between the US and the EU bloc took place. EU-origin goods, including Italian footwear, moved onto a 15 percent all-inclusive US tariff ceiling, replacing the prior 10 percent Section 122 surcharge structure, with no stacking on top of MFN duty. The rule brought relief especially to automobile manufacturers, which were affected by a previous 27 percent tariff, along with other sectors from the European market. For a footwear company, the agreement wasn’t as helpful, Rangoni said.

“If anything, I’d say the 15 percent tariff, even though it’s lower than the stacked rates from earlier this year, has made selling our product even harder,” the designer told FashionUnited. “My shoes fall into a price range where that extra 15 percent makes a real difference, and people don’t seem to realize that behind the price is the quality of Italian craftsmanship.”

Rangoni said it’s been “very difficult” to keep prices accessible while maintaining Italian-made quality. “It’s genuinely a daily challenge full of trade-offs. Many times I have to give up on beautiful designs that would simply cost too much to produce, in order to keep my brand’s pricing accessible,” she said, adding that she is not only adjusting pricing, but trying to consolidate shipments as much as possible to reduce costs.

In Q1 2026, Italian footwear exports to the United States specifically fell 7.4 percent in value, according to the latest data from the Centro Studi of Confindustria Accessori Moda for Assocalzaturifici. Rangoni highlighted that the tariffs make US consumers often look for cheaper products “made where there’s labor exploitation and pollution and poor quality.”

“Italy has incredible know-how when it comes to shoemaking. It’s a tradition that goes back generations. Here in Italy, the artisans who work on our shoes have done this for their entire lives; they know every stage of how a shoe is made down to the smallest detail. It’s thanks to them that we can produce shoes at a level of quality that’s impossible to replicate elsewhere. There’s another aspect that matters just as much to me: proximity. Our entire production is based in Tuscany, from the tannery that supplies our leather to the workshop that makes our lasts,” she said.

US expansion plans despite tariffs

Valentina Rangoni joined her family business, founded in 1937 by her grandfather Ugo Rangoni, in 2015. She decided to open her eponymous label after getting a diploma in shoe design and a degree in economics.

“My father had been thinking for a while about creating a higher-end product for a higher-end market, and I saw my chance to step up and start this new venture,” she said, adding that “there was no shortage of arguments and disappointments” with her father and with people who didn’t believe she was capable to lead the brand. “But the more time passes, the prouder and more confident I feel in the value of my shoes and my brand,” she said.

Nowadays, Valentina Rangoni is sold in Europe online via its own website and worldwide carried by stockists such as Nordstrom, Wolf & Badger, and more. The designer wants more.

“I have a lot in the works. We’re planning to open another Rangoni store, and we’re about to launch an e-commerce site dedicated solely to Valentina Rangoni, currently available only to European customers, but coming soon to the US as well,” she said.

Rangoni also wants to grow her presence on social media, creating content aimed at the US market. Her dream is to soon open a Valentina Rangoni store in New York City, as well as see her brand on the shoe floors of department stores like Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bloomingdale’s.