Ludwig Reiter »Polostiefel« Ladies’ Boots

Ludwig Reiter

There are only few footwear manufacturers left on the market which mainly produce welted shoes and do not compromise on the choice of raw materials, the place of production or the working conditions. Ludwig Reiter is the last manufacturer still based and producing in Vienna and ranks among this group. The company, which has been producing footwear in Vienna for more than 130 years and is now in its fourth generation, chooses its raw materials based on the type of animal husbandry and the purpose of the product, casting aside trends and fads, and instead relying on experience and skills. It started manufacturing riding boots and booties for the dress uniform of the Austro-Hungarian Army as early as its foundation in 1885. After years as journeymen and apprentices in Germany, England and America at the beginning of the twentieth century, during which they acquired a sound knowledge of materials and craftsmanship, especially of the Goodyear process used in the USA, the family gradually turned their company into a small shoe factory after their return from that educational journey. In the following period, welted shoes were produced for civilian use and, during the Second World War, mainly for the military and police. Fortunately, the production site survived the turmoil of the war unscathed, so that the company could focus on the production of even better welted shoes. At the time, this was a perceptive, albeit courageous decision that ensured the survival of the brand. The takeover of Kitzmantel, a company with a long tradition which specialises in the production of work shoes, has saved craftsmanship skills and helped extend the existing range. Ludwig Reiter now not only offers welted shoes but also high-quality sports shoes, ladies shoes and leather accessories on a worldwide scale.