The beginning
In 1948, Leandros Oikonomou opened a small shoemaker’s workshop in Tavros, Athens.
It was a humble space — a workbench, a few tools, the smell of leather and glue. But it was his own, and he ran it with the seriousness of someone who understood that a well-made shoe is a small act of dignity.
His son, Panagiotis, grew up in that workshop. He learnt the trade the way it is always learnt — by watching, doing, making mistakes and trying again. In 1985, he took over the business and transformed it. What had been a small neighbourhood shop became a major force in the Greek leather footwear industry, operating under the name Leandro. For twenty years, the workshop ran at full capacity — raising five children through the work of these hands.
The relaunch
In 2019, his son Elias decided to bring it all back.
Not in Athens. To Tinos.
He moved the very same machines his father had used, continued the same craft with his own hands, and opened a new workshop on the island. He also brought back the name — Leandro — in honour of the man who started it all in that little Athenian shop seven decades ago.
Today, the workshop produces exclusively handmade leather sandals and footwear, using leather sourced exclusively from Greek tanneries. Both wholesale and retail. Every pair is made on the island, by hand.
The crisis interrupted the story. It did not bring it to an end.
Philosophy
We believe in objects that stand the test of time.
Not because we are sentimental, but because we believe the world already has enough single-use items. A well-made leather sandal, if looked after properly, will last longer than a dozen cheaper pairs. It will soften, darken and, over time, become something that feels as though it has always been yours.
That is what we make. That is what we stand for.
Leandro. Handmade in Tinos. Made to last a lifetime.
