Leaving our mark on the times and heading towards the future. Our story at Ottimo
Our story began in 1948 in the scorched earth of Adachi Ward, Tokyo. Our founder, Koji Ishikawa, established Ishikawa Shoes and began pouring his quiet passion into manufacturing original women’s shoes to adorn women’s feet. In the chaotic period after the war, it was a small ray of hope that seemed to bring color back to people’s lives. That was our first step.
Legends of change and challenge
In 1956, the company name was changed to Sanko Shoes Co., Ltd. and the base was moved to Yanagihara, Adachi Ward. We continued to hone our shoemaking skills while responding to the changing needs of the times.
Then, in 1983, a major turning point came. When the second generation, Satoshi Ishikawa, took over the business, we shifted course to OEM manufacturing of women’s shoes. This was not just a change in business content. It was a sign of our determination to sensitively grasp changes in the market and take on the challenge of creating new value. The company name was changed back to “Ishikawa Shoes Co., Ltd.”, and the new Ishikawa Shoes Co., Ltd. began to write a new history.
Challenges and decisions on the global stage
In 1994, the company name was changed to “Ottimo Co., Ltd.” This name, which is named after the Italian word for “best,” represents our belief in always pursuing the highest quality.
Eventually, Ottimo left Japan and moved on to the global stage. In 2004, we established “Ottimo Korea Co., Ltd.” in Seoul, Republic of Korea. We honed our skills and sensibilities in the fashion center of Asia
But our challenges do not end. In 2006, we established “Ottimo China Co., Ltd.” in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China, with the aim of further establishing a production system. While we have a large-scale production base, we made the difficult decision to close “Ottimo Korea Co., Ltd.” in order to optimize our business, much to the regret of our customers.
To new ground, and to the future
Then, in 2012, Ottimo made another big decision. It was decided to close the factory in China and transfer production to Vietnam. We established “VINA O’Shoe Co., Ltd.” in Hanoi, Socialist Republic of Vietnam. In this new land, we vowed to make further leaps.
77 years since our founding. Starting as Ishikawa Shoes, changing into Sanko Shoes and then Ottimo, we have overcome turbulent times. The road was never smooth. However, our unwavering passion to continue making the best shoes without fearing change continues to this day.
We at Ottimo promise to continue to beautifully adorn the feet of women in Japan and around the world.
