Bianca Eder

There aren’t many people who know what they want to be when they grow up from a young age. It was no different for Bianca Eder, owner of “Scarpa Italia”: “I knew as early as 14 that I wanted to have my own shoe shop one day,” she says, “ideally one selling Italian shoes.” This lively, fun-loving woman from the Oberpinzgau region was practically born with a passion for fashion. She comes from a fashion-conscious family; even her great-grandmother attached great importance to her appearance.
Where does her love of Italian fashion come from? “Probably from our summer holidays – we usually spent them in Bella Italia,” she recalls happily. As they shopped through the colourful shops, the mother-daughter duo’s hearts were filled with joy – and their passion for the Italian look was ignited. The young entrepreneur is particularly taken with shoes: “Sneakers, sandals, ballerinas or Italian-style boots are simply eye-catching,” enthuses Bianca.

She realised her dream of owning her own shoe shop sooner than planned. “I knew that business know-how was essential for running my own business, so I did an apprenticeship as an office administrator.” She dedicated her final project to her vision and developed the “Scarpa Italia” concept. Just two years later, at the tender age of 20, Bianca opened her shop in Neukirchen. “I think I was the youngest boutique owner in town,” she smiles.
Three years later, the enterprising young entrepreneur opened a branch in Mittersill. “That was quite a funny story: thanks to a misunderstanding by a friend, I found out about a lease that was due to be re-awarded,” she explains, “but it wasn’t actually official yet,” she adds with a mischievous smile. “I was lucky.” And so, in 2009, she brought the lively “La dolce vita” fashion style to Mittersill and into the wardrobes of trendy Italian fashionistas.