The family-run company was founded in 1999 in Serbia and initially specialised in the production and distribution of clogs with wooden bottoms and leather uppers: traditional footwear, therefore, practical and comfortable for various uses. The business first developed in the country and then gradually expanded to the Balkans. Towards the middle of the 2000s, wooden bottoms were increasingly flanked by PU bottoms, with non-slip characteristics, and production ranged from clogs to fashion sandals to orthopaedic footwear, with materials sourced mainly from Italy, whose quality was appreciated and on which the company relied to offer an excellent product with a high comfort content. It is precisely these traits that have continued to characterise Leon Anatomic’s business today, which focuses on beautiful, fashionable footwear that is above all able to ‘pamper’ the foot, also suitable for professionals such as doctors and nurses or people with special needs. The target market is women (about 70%), but there is also a men’s shoe collection and a small percentage of children’s shoes. The entire production takes place in the company’s own factory in Serbia, which employs more than 250 employees on an area of over 9000 m².

“For the many people who have, for example, problems with hallux valgus and cannot wear any kind of footwear,’ says Dorde Savic, CEO, ‘we offer shoes that are fashionable but also cleverly designed not to press on the big toe, thanks to the use of ultra-soft leather and specially positioned elastic inserts. “In addition,” he continues, “we have 6-8 different sole widths to offer more customised products”.

To date, production is balanced between 50 per cent fashion footwear and 50 per cent orthopaedic and special-needs shoes. “Even our fashion shoes, however,” emphasises Savic, “always have a focus on the wellbeing of the foot and are produced with quality materials (almost exclusively leather: velour, nappa leather, etc.) and with expedients such as different heel heights or the insertion of an anti-slip element in the sole and anatomical lining insoles.

Present for the second time at Expo Riva Schuh, Leon Anatomic received excellent feedback from buyers with its collections. ‘We are very satisfied,’ said Savic at the June edition of the Riva del Garda fair, ‘we had excellent contacts with buyers interested in our mix of fashion/comfort/quality and competitive price. Especially buyers from Poland, Hungary, Germany, Austria, and Israel. Today we can count on good distribution, especially in the Balkans where we have 17 distributors, but thanks also to Expo Riva Schuh, we are expanding our range of action to the whole of Europe and beyond. In addition, we have our own brand shops in Serbia and Slovakia: five outlets, to which others will be added by the end of the year, both in Serbia and in Croatia and Hungary’.