A presidential godfather . It was Mexican President General Lazaro Cardenas who fostered the birth, in 1936, of Botas Bautista when, as he traveled across Tenango del Valle a little town near Mexico City-, he accepted from Fernando Bautista Sanchez, the offer to make him a new pair of riding boots, better than the ones he was leaving for repair in Silvano Bautista's repair shop (where Fernando was working in those days)..

Those first boots were of such good quality and so delighted General Cardenas, that he entrusted the young shoemaker with the making of boots for Mexican government . This was how, with no more resources other than his determination and skill, Fernando Bautista took the big step and moved to Mexico City with his wife, Maria de la Luz, and his two children, Roberto and Ana Maria, in order to pursue the dream of his lifetime: to make the finest riding boots.

That's because his boots were not just boots. What was to become a tradition, was a hard beginning for Fernando, who personally visited the entire Mexican cavalry personally taking the measurements of his clients and making the commitment which is still valid today, of a special custom fabrication, hand made, that perfectly fits every foot and gives security, comfort and great presence on horseback.

Such quality and personalized service gave Botas Bautista the support of the Mexican army along with the outstanding politicians of the day. In fact, the members of the Mexican Equestrian Team always took with them and used Botas Bautista, even on their trips to Europe and the United States. Important figures in the world of Equestrian sports and riding wore boots from the House of Bautista.

But Don Fernando, as he was named by Holland's Prince Bernardo, was not only a prophet in his own land; he also made boots for European aristocracy and himself participated in several riding contests in the United States. He also attended with great success, leather and shoe exhibitions in Paris, where the French manufacturers congratulated him on the excellence of his boots.

A casi 70 años de aquellos azarosos inicios, la segunda y tercera generación de la casa Bautista –representadas por la hija de don Fernando, Ana María Bautista, y su nieto, Mauricio Reyes Bautista– se han rehusado a la fabricación en serie y conservan el proceso de manufactura que convierte a la bota en una artesanía por cuya calidad vale la pena esperar.

Almost seventy years after those hazardous beginnings, the second and third generation of Botas Bautista -represented by Don Fernando's daughter, Ana Maria Bautista, and his grandson, Mauricio Reyes Bautista- still resist the change to serial fabrication in order to preserve their traditional manufacturing process which gives their boots the beautiful handcrafted quality which makes every exceptional pair worth the wait.

Pair by pair, the special, detailed work for every client includes, the cutting, the sole, the finishing, and a 24 hour molding process, in total, nine distinct operations hand made by specialized masters who by loving dedication and devotion to their craft, transform the finest of French and Mexican, hand selected quality leathers, into the legendary boots that clients prefer, from the House of Bautista