Valleverde (1970)
VALLEVERDE: ITALIAN FOOTWEAR COMPANY
Armando Arcangeli is the founder and chairman of the Valleverde shoe factory in Coriano, in the province of Rimini. He was made a Cavaliere del Lavoro in June 2002. In November 2001, he received the Imprenditore dell’anno (Entrepreneur of the Year) award, an event promoted by Ernst&Young with the patronage of the Italian Stock Exchange.
The award, now widespread in 20 countries, is in its fifth edition. It has existed in the United States since 1883. The company produces 2 million shoes and, in 2001, had a turnover of about 300 billion old lire (220 made by Valleverde, the rest by the other brand Sanagens). Moreover, commercial relations with the most important shop centres in China are excellent. In 2002 a shop was opened in Shanghai, to be followed by one in Beijing.
The shoes covering the three sectors for women, men and children, both classic and sporty, are designed with special technologies for extreme flexibility, softness and comfort. In addition to shoes, there is also a leather goods line: suitcases, duffel bags, trolleys, as well as briefcases, bags, backpacks and accessories.
In 2005, Armando Arcangeli, founder and president of the Valleverde footwear group, announced expansion plans for the brand, which already had 250 shops worldwide. The following year saw the introduction of a line of leather outerwear for men and women.
The history of the brand
Valleverde, which had become an icon of ‘Made in Italy’ footwear, saw the participation of Hollywood celebrities such as Kevin Costner. In one commercial, stuck in Manhattan traffic, Costner got out of his car and invited people to walk with him, declaring “it’s nice to walk in Valleverde.”
Even well-known sportsmen such as Pelé and the Formula One driver Eddie Irvine, as well as the radiant Raffaella Carrà, have been testimonials for this brand. Valleverde, founded in the 1970s on the hills of Rimini, was declared bankrupt in 2013, but was “saved” in 2015 by the Silver 1 company of Lugo, in the Ravenna area, which acquired the shoe manufacturer at auction for 9 million of Euro.
In December 2022, the Court of Rimini sentenced Arcangeli in first instance to 4 years and 6 months of imprisonment for fraudulent, distractive and preferential bankruptcy, thus concluding the proceedings initiated following the bankruptcy in 2013 of the Spes company, previously called ‘Valleverde Calzature ‘.
Armando Arcangeli passed away on 11 June 2024, at the age of 80
Gianluca Ugolini, the mayor of Coriano, expressed his condolences following the passing of Armando Arcangeli, as reported by ANSA:
“I express the condolences of the municipal administration for the passing of Armando Arcangeli. Arcangeli, starting from Coriano where he founded the Valleverde company, left an indelible mark in the history of Romagna entrepreneurship thanks to his creativity and innovation, making his practical and comfortable footwear all over the world.
During his long entrepreneurial career, the founder of Valleverde has offered work to many families in Coriano, contributing to increasing the local economy and taking the name of Coriano beyond national borders thanks to important testimonials such as Raffaella Carrà, Pelé and many others “.
The funeral took place on Wednesday 12 June and the procession started from the morgue of the Riccione hospital until arriving at the parish church of Sant’Innocenza in Montetauro, where at 3.30 pm the Holy Mass was celebrated to commemorate Armando Arcangeli.
Conclusions: Armando Arcangeli is the founder and chairman of the Valleverde shoe factory in Coriano, in the province of Rimini. He was made a Cavaliere del Lavoro in June 2002.
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