A Guinness World Record Beginning

Rupert Edward Cecil Lee Guinness (of both Guinness World Record and the Dublin-brewed dark ale fame) established the Scarpa footwear company in the late 1930s, in order to give a future to skilled Italian craftsmen in leather processing. Translated from its Italian acronym, S.C.A.R.P.A stands for Association of Footwear Manufacturers from the area of Asolo.

By the mid-1950s, three brothers hired by Scarpa were able to take ownership, and brought the traditions of their land, their culture, and their beliefs into the business. After an Italian-American in Boston showcased the quality of his footwear to his coworkers, the North American market opened up, and production went from 10,000 pairs to 120,000 pairs within 5 short years.