Aquila is an Australian men’s footwear and fashion brand established in Melbourne in 1958 by Italian migrant Tony Longo. The company originated as a small shoemaking operation and evolved into an established Australian men’s footwear retailer, blending Italian shoemaking influences with Australian design and retail culture.

The brand is primarily associated with men’s dress shoes, loafers, boots, leather sneakers and accessories, positioning itself around contemporary men’s style, quality materials, and traditional shoemaking techniques. Its premium collections include footwear manufactured in Italy.1

Origins

The story of Aquila begins with Antonio “Tony” Longo, an Italian migrant who arrived in Australia in 1949. According to the company’s history, Longo arrived with minimal possessions other than his shoemaking tools, which included a tack hammer, shoe anvil, and leather knife. He established Aquila in a small factory in Fitzroy, Melbourne, in 1958.

Initially, the company drew heavily on the traditions of Italian shoemaking. This Italian influence became a defining characteristic of the brand and remains central to Aquila’s identity today.

Expansion of Manufacturing

Aquila expanded beyond its original workshop during the 1960s. In 1964, the company opened a larger factory and manufacturing facility in North Fitzroy. At full capacity, this facility was reportedly capable of producing approximately 100,000 pairs of shoes per year.

Subsequently, the company transitioned from a purely manufacturing business into a vertically integrated footwear retailer.

Move into Retail

A significant milestone occurred in 1975, when Aquila opened its first retail store in central Melbourne. A second store followed in Sydney later that same year. The retail network subsequently expanded across Australia and New Zealand.

This transition helped establish Aquila not merely as a shoe manufacturer but as a recognizable consumer fashion brand.

The Longo Family

Tony Longo died in 1989, after which his sons continued to operate the business. Aquila has remained closely associated with the Longo family, with Luke Longo representing the third generation of the family involved in the company.

The company’s family ownership and multi-generational history are central elements of its brand narrative.

The word Aquila is Italian for “eagle.”

Founder Tony Longo selected the eagle because of the qualities he associated with the animal—particularly confidence, strength, and style. These concepts became part of Aquila’s brand identity and its positioning around confident modern masculinity.

Thus, the name is intended to communicate a particular attitude and character, rather than simply referencing footwear or Italy.

Aquila describes its design philosophy as a balance between timeless craftsmanship and contemporary relevance. The company states that its designs are rooted in European shoemaking traditions while adapting to the changing wardrobe and lifestyle of modern Australian men.3

Several key ideas recur throughout the brand’s positioning:

• Italian craftsmanship: Italian shoemaking traditions are a vital part of the brand’s heritage.
• Australian identity: Although strongly influenced by Italy, Aquila developed as an Australian brand.
• Modern masculinity: Products are designed for contemporary men’s lifestyles.
• Versatility: The brand increasingly covers various situations rather than focusing solely on formal business footwear.
• Understated sophistication: Classic silhouettes are combined with contemporary styling.
• Quality materials: Leather and other premium materials are emphasized in the brand’s positioning.

Aquila’s product range has expanded considerably since its early days as a traditional men’s shoemaker.

Dress Shoes

Formal leather shoes remain one of the brand’s most recognizable categories. These include traditional business and occasion-oriented styles designed for suits, formalwear, and professional settings.

Loafers

Loafers occupy an important position between formal and casual dressing. Aquila offers various interpretations ranging from classic leather loafers to more contemporary designs.

Boots

The brand produces several men’s boot styles, including Chelsea boots and lace-up boots.

Sneakers

Aquila has increasingly incorporated sneakers into its range, reflecting the broader movement toward casual and smart-casual men’s wardrobes.

The company describes its footwear spectrum as extending from formal leather shoes to street-smart sneakers, reflecting its effort to serve the modern man’s entire week rather than only formal occasions.

Accessories

The Aquila ecosystem also includes products such as:

• Belts
• Wallets
• Socks
• Bags
• Other leather accessories

The company’s trademark filings likewise cover footwear, belts, socks, bags, wallets, and related accessories.

One of the distinctive aspects of Aquila is that it is not simply an Italian brand operating in Australia. It is fundamentally an Australian brand with Italian heritage.

Tony Longo brought Italian shoemaking knowledge to Melbourne after immigrating from Italy. Over subsequent decades, Aquila developed an identity combining that heritage with Australian fashion culture.

Today, the company states that its D’ORO collection is crafted by hand in specialist factories in Italy, while the broader brand incorporates European design influences.

This gives Aquila a positioning somewhere between traditional European footwear and contemporary Australian menswear.

Aquila can be understood as a premium-to-upper-mid-market men’s footwear brand, rather than a pure luxury house.

Its proposition can be summarized as:

Italian-inspired craftsmanship + Australian identity + contemporary men’s fashion

It competes for consumers who want something more refined than mass-market footwear but do not necessarily seek the price, heritage positioning, or exclusivity associated with major European luxury houses.

Its products are intended to work across multiple contexts:

Office → Business casual → Dinner → Events → Weekend

That versatility is an increasingly important part of the brand’s modern positioning.

Aquila’s evolution can broadly be divided into several stages:

1958–1970s: Shoemaking

A small Melbourne-based operation focused on producing quality footwear with Italian influences.

1970s–1990s: Retail Expansion

The company developed its own retail presence and established itself as an Australian men’s footwear name.

2000s–2010s: Fashion Expansion

Aquila increasingly moved beyond traditional men’s shoes toward broader menswear and accessories. The company formally expanded into menswear and fashion accessories in 2012.

2016 Onward: Scale and Modernization

The business substantially expanded its physical retail footprint in 2016, including a concession partnership with department-store retailer Myer. That same year, Blue Sky Alternative Investments acquired a 70% stake for A$25.2 million.

The investment situation later changed following the collapse of Blue Sky in 2019, and the business subsequently continued under the Longo family’s ownership structure.

Aquila’s visual and product language generally sits around clean, masculine, and sophisticated design rather than highly experimental fashion.

Typical characteristics include:

• Sleek silhouettes
• Leather construction
• Neutral and versatile colours
• Minimal branding
• Traditional footwear shapes updated for contemporary styling
• A balance between formal and casual aesthetics

This allows an Aquila shoe to function as part of a business wardrobe while also being styled with more casual clothing.

Historically, Aquila was strongly associated with the Australian professional man—particularly consumers purchasing formal leather shoes for work and business.

Its target customer base has broadened considerably.

Today, the brand appeals to men looking for footwear for:

• Corporate and office environments
• Weddings and formal events
• Smart-casual outfits
• Evening wear
• Everyday city wear
• Contemporary casual outfits

This broader audience explains the company’s move from predominantly traditional men’s footwear toward sneakers, casual shoes, boots, and accessories.

Aquila developed a significant Australian retail network during its expansion. Historical company information describes a network spanning major Australian cities, while the brand has also had a presence in New Zealand.4

The company has also sold through major Australian department stores, including David Jones, where Aquila is presented as a men’s footwear brand encompassing dress shoes, boots, and casual shoes.

Aquila is unusual among Australian fashion brands because its identity is strongly connected to a single family lineage.

The corporate story essentially runs:

Tony Longo → his sons → Luke Longo / third generation

This gives the company a different character from a fashion label created primarily as a contemporary lifestyle or designer brand. Its heritage is built around an actual manufacturing and shoemaking history rather than simply adopting “heritage” aesthetics as a marketing concept.

Three characteristics stand out regarding Aquila’s market position:

1. Italian-Australian Heritage

The brand’s identity derives from the meeting of Italian craftsmanship and Australian culture.

2. More Than Six Decades of History

Founded in 1958, Aquila has operated for more than 65 years, making it one of the longer-established Australian men’s footwear names.

3. Evolution from Formal Footwear to Lifestyle

Aquila has adapted from being primarily a traditional men’s shoemaker into a broader men’s fashion brand. Its current collection encompasses everything from Italian-made premium shoes to sneakers and accessories.

Aquila is a Melbourne-founded Australian men’s footwear and fashion brand with Italian shoemaking heritage, established in 1958 by Italian immigrant Tony Longo and developed over three generations into a contemporary brand spanning dress shoes, loafers, boots, sneakers, and men’s accessories.

1. Aquila Shoes
2. Men’s Premium Collection of Shoes & Accessories | Aquila
3. AQUILA ®
4. Aquila – Shop Ethical!