Our Story. How it all began
It began in a time when you had to fight for everything, and your only capital was your skills. Marco is a brand born from respect for craftsmanship, that survived the times of transformation, and today combines multi-generational Polish tradition with Italian love for beauty.
April Fool's Day, which turned out to be a life plan
It was April 1, 1989. A time when large state-owned factories were collapsing, and the market was learning everything anew. Marek Malinowski, a fresh graduate, instead of looking for ready-made solutions, decided to take a risk and use what was in his blood.
"In my family, for generations, we worked with leather and footwear. There were tanneries, there was industry, there was knowledge of the material, the smell of leather, craftsmanship. From this tradition came the idea to try – and start producing shoes." – recalls Marek Malinowski, the founder of the brand.
He passed his journeyman's exam and set up his first workshop in his family home near Radom.
"The scale was microscopic. I bought 30 pairs of lasts for men's footwear, and that was my entire starting capital. Materials were scarce, leather was hard to come by. So we made shoes from what was available. It quickly turned out that women most appreciated our quality, which is why the brand fully focused on women's footwear."
The smell of leather, craftsmanship, and people
Over 37 years, a lot has changed at the company; a modern factory was built, but one thing remained constant: respect for people and craftsmanship. The team is still a close-knit community, and some, like the indispensable Mr. Adam, have been with the brand almost from day one. It was in this world that Przemek, Marek's son and the current owner of the company, grew up.
"I was born at a time when we were already producing footwear at home. You could say that the smell of leather and shoe glue was not foreign to me from my first days of life. I often spent time with the workers who made shoes, and they looked after me in the process," says Przemek.
The legacy naturally passed to the next generation.
Destination: Italy
We quickly understood that to create good quality shoes, we had to learn from the best in Europe and could not take shortcuts.
"Inspirations? These were gained in the field. Trade fairs in Poznań, then Bologna, Milan. Watching, learning, comparing. Each trip was a new lesson in design, technology, product thinking. And so, step by step, without shortcuts, Marco began to take shape."
A dozen years later, Przemek went a step further and moved to Italy to study. The chosen location, not far from Civitanova Marche, the absolute cradle of the best European footwear components, was intentional. He wanted to perfect his language skills and build direct relationships with suppliers of the finest materials. Thanks to this, today at Marco Shoes, meticulous Polish craftsmanship meets top-class Italian leathers.
Marco today
The year 2020 and the global pandemic were a moment for us to fully focus on developing our own brand, Marco.
We are still a family company. Przemek, his wife, his brother Piotrek work here, and the founder Marek still oversees production. We create shoes because we believe in the same simple premise as 37 years ago: if you do something honestly, consistently and with passion, you will find people who will appreciate it.
We have been writing our history since 1989.
Welcome to the Malinowski family