My great-grandfather founded the company that would become Dion Italy in Le Marche, Italy, in 1909 as Magnifica Fabbrica di Scarpe. He struggled for the first few years, and as Italy entered World War I in 1915, he was pressed into service making boots for the Italian Royal Army. When the war ended in 1918, he continued making combat style boots which were popular due to their long-lasting soles and durable uppers. He branched out and tried new styles of mens shoes as society recovered from a wartime footing.
The next two decades were a time of keeping your head down as Mussolini’s National Fascist Party ruled Italy.