About us
The Palm Beach style sandal a.k.a. Navajo was originally designed and hand-made for Jacqueline Kennedy in the early 1960s by shoe designer Luigi Pucillo who teamed up with Stephen’s parents Benny and Eva Bonanno of W. Palm Beach Florida.
Both deaf as young children, their handicap never held them back. Benny, a cobbler and shoemaker by trade and Eva, an expert with color, displayed their hand-crafted sandals on the counter for custom ordering (see photo above). Eva loved to pick bright colored leather hides to display her craft. She hand-cut the patterns, punched all the holes, then hand-cut long strips of leather for whip-stitching, while Benny lasted, sewed and sanded to perfection one pair at a time in their little downtown WPB cobbler shop, while their son Stephen worked side by side with them learning the craft. Jackie Kennedy made an appearance with her Mother in-law several times and ordered Black/White, White Multi, Baby Blue/White and Bright Yellow/White to name a few. The sandals were all the rage with the Palm Beach crowd.
THE TRADITION CONTINUES
1989 Stephen took over the family business and continues the tradition that makes every pair a truly authentic hand-crafted work of art. “We never lose sight of my parents vision to keep it all hand-crafted of 100% leather and completely made from beginning to end in the USA!” says Stephen.
2005 Stephen’s sister designed the company website www.StephenBonanno.com and manages it today.
2008 Stephen moved North to West Stuart and added a boutique in the front for their customers who love to walk in and buy off the shelf ... not to mention taking a tour of the factory to see how their favorite sandals are made.
2009 to avoid confusion in the marketplace they started stamping the bottom sole of every pair with a “seal of authenticity."
2012 As the economy continued to take its toll on small business, Stephen thought long and hard about stream-lining and down-sizing. He watched family and friends close up shop through-out the years and it was heartbreaking to say the least, but an eye opener ... He knew it was time to make some adjustments to his own business and relocated back to where it all began ... W. Palm Beach, where he currently resides.
It only takes trying on a pair to see why their customers always say, “If it doesn’t say Stephen, it isn’t Bonanno.”