The footwear industry in southern Europe has faced several periods of strong crisis since the 1970s. This paper analyzes these crises and the resilience strategy developed by the sector in Italy, Spain, and Portugal, the major producing countries. Although many common features are observed in the three countries, both in the chronology and the nature of the crises and in the measures to overcome the difficulties, significant differences in the characteristics of the industry and the behavior of the companies are also appreciated. These differences have determined the degree of resilience of the sector in each country.

This paper analyses the role played by the National Commission for Industrial Productivity (CNPI) in the development of the Spanish footwear industry. First the nature of the Commission is reviewed highlighting its links with the «americanisation» campaign that took place in post-war Europe. Then, it is shown that footwear was one of the priority sectors for the CNPI, and the main initiatives developed by the organism in this industry in the years prior to the take off of exports are expounded. In third place, it is shown that the sector had already undergone a profound «americanisation» in Spain and in Europe in general during the first third of the 20th century. Lastly, the paper attempts to assess the effective repercussion of the CNPI's actions.