SHOES

Introduction to Shoe Care
Crafted from beautifully selected leathers, Broken Wings shoes are the perfect blend of sophistication and savour-faire, passed down through generations of dedicated craftsmen in Italy. These natural and living materials need to be regularly cared for so that you may fully appreciate their beauty and comfort for years to come. It is best to rotate your shoes every two days of consecutive wear. This will allow the leather fibres adequate air and rest. When not in use, store in felt bags in a dry place away from any direct heat source.
Contact with water or products containing solvents, oily, or abrasive elements should be avoided as they may cause unwanted staining or blisters. When putting on your shoes, a shoehorn is suggested to avoid damaging the material in the back of the heel. For proper maintenance, be sure to have the top-lifts (the bottom of the heel, made generally in rubber, in direct contact with the ground) of your shoes changed periodically to prevent from becoming too worn down as this can become very slippery to the wearer.
By taking care of your Swarm shoes in this way, you will be able to wear them for many years and fully appreciate their beauty and comfort. Do not hesitate to ask for advice through our Contact Page.

Smooth or Grained Leathers
For cleaning grained leather, wipe any surface stains with a soft damp cloth. Once the leather is dry, polish it in circular strokes using a high-quality colourless cream and a soft cloth.

Patent Leathers
Patent leathers can be cleaned with a soft dampened light-coloured cloth, and then dried with a clean cloth. To avoid colour migration, limit contact with other leathers or highly pigmented colours.

Metallic Leathers
Metallic leathers can be cleaned with the help of a soft and dry cloth.

Exotic Leathers
Exotic leathers can be cleaned with a soft and dry cloth and then polished, in the direction of the scales, using a high-quality colourless cream. These leathers are delicate and very sensitive to humidity. If at any time they do come into contact with water, sponge them carefully with a soft absorbent cloth.

Goat Suede, Calf suede and Nubuck Leathers
Suede and nubuck leathers can be maintained with a soft shoe brush to preserve the velvety texture. If shoes have been in contact with water, please allow ample time to dry before cleaning. In case of superficial stains, a rubber brush may be used.

Pony styled calf leathers
These precious and delicate calf leathers have kept all their natural hair due to a special tanning process. The eventual colour shades thus demonstrate this authenticity. To clean pony styled leathers, use a soft and lightly dampened cloth and always respect the direction of the hair. Avoid repeated rubbing with abrasive objects (trouser hems, brushes…) which may alter the smooth appearance of the calf hair.

Fabric
Fabric and leather shoes, or completely fabric shoes, must never be washed by soaking in water or in a washing machine. This would cause damage or migration of colour and can detach the sole from the shoe.
The textiles used in Swarms have a water repellent finish that limits the risk of stains. However, the lighter coloured textiles still remain susceptible to staining. Once your textile shoes have been cleaned, please leave them to dry in the air before putting them away in a felt pouch.
A cotton canvas can be cleaned with the help of a brush or a lightly dampened cloth.
The satin can be cleaned with the help of a very lightly dampened cloth using gentle circular movements. Because this is a delicate material, please avoid rubbing it too hard so as not to remove the anti-stain treatment. Further care should be taken not to scratch this fabric against abrasive surfaces.
Made of goatskin or calfskin leather, suede insocks and linings are extremely delicate. They are specially treated to stabilize the colour pigments, but there is still a risk of colour release, which is due to their natural finishing.