Our story. How it all began
It began in times when everything had to be fought for, and the only capital was a skill in one’s hands. Marco is a brand born from respect for craftsmanship, one that survived the years of transformation and today combines a multigenerational Polish tradition with an Italian passion for beauty.
An April Fool’s joke that became a life plan
It was 1 April 1989. A time when the great state-owned factories were collapsing and the market was learning everything anew. Marek Malinowski, a newly qualified university graduate, decided to take a risk rather than look for ready-made solutions, and make use of what he had in his blood.
"For generations, my family had worked with leather and footwear. There were tanneries, there was industry, there was knowledge of the material, the smell of leather and craftsmanship. It was this tradition that inspired the idea to try — and start making shoes." – recalls Marek Malinowski, the brand's founder.
He passed his journeyman's exam and set up his first workshop in the family home near Radom.
"The scale was microscopic. I bought 30 pairs of lasts for men's shoes, and that was my entire start-up capital. Materials were scarce, and leather was difficult to obtain. So we made shoes from whatever was available. It quickly became clear that women appreciated our quality the most, which is why the brand focused entirely on women's footwear." .
The scent of leather, craftsmanship and people
Many things have changed at the company over 37 years, including the construction of a modern facility, but one thing has remained unchanged: respect for people and craftsmanship. The team is still a close-knit community, and some, like the irreplaceable Mr Adam, have been with the brand since almost the very beginning. This is the world Przemek, Marek's son and the company's current owner, grew up in.
"I was born at a time when footwear was still being made in our homes. You could say that the smell of leather and shoe glue had been familiar to me from the very first days of my life. I often spent time with the employees who made the shoes, looking after me as they worked." – Przemek recalls.
The legacy naturally passed on to the next generation.
Destination: Italy
We quickly understood that to create high-quality shoes, we had to learn from the best in Europe and could not take shortcuts.
"Inspiration? You had to find it in the field. The trade fair in Poznań, then Bologna and Milan. Observing, learning, comparing. Every trip was a new lesson in design, technology and thinking about the product. And so, step by step, without shortcuts, Marco gradually began to take shape."
A dozen or so years later, Przemek went one step further and travelled to Italy to study. Choosing a course near Civitanova Marche, the undisputed cradle of Europe's finest footwear components, was deliberate. He wanted to master the language perfectly and build direct relationships with suppliers of the finest materials. As a result, at Marco Shoes today, meticulous Polish craftsmanship meets the highest-quality Italian leathers.
Marco today
The year 2020 and the global pandemic were a turning point for us, when we decided to focus fully on developing our own brand, Marco.
We are still a family business. Przemek works here, along with his wife and his brother Piotrek, while the founder, Marek, continues to oversee production. We make shoes because we believe in the same simple principle as we did 37 years ago: if you do something honestly, consistently and with passion, you will find people who appreciate it.
We have been writing our story since 1989.
Welcome to the Malinowski family