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The Story of

Giuseppe Zanotti

DESIGNER DOSSIER · JULY 2017

Step to the Beat

Zanotti is a radio and club DJ and it’s clear that his other love, music, influences his design style. Many of his designs are hip-hop and rock-inspired. His masterful use of embellishment – metal zippers, buckles, chains and jewels – has earned him his reputation as an innovative designer of the highest calibre.

Giuseppe Junior Video Campaign Summer 2017

The story of Giuseppe Zanotti

Master shoe designer and DJ, Giuseppe Zanotti’s story is a feast for the senses- a story spanning ice cream, rock music and wonderful shoes!

He spent a delightful childhood in a small seaside town near Fellini’s Rimi – a town where, Zanotti reports, “everyone was used to the smell of leather”. His parents kept an ice cream shop, however, the creative boy became more fascinated by the shoemaking tradition of his hometown and decided to aim his creativity in that direction instead.

Zanotti became active in 1981, working as a freelance designer for small shoe-making companies. His talent got him noticed by larger multinational companies and he was offered work as a consultant. This led to greater things and in the 80s, he was ultimately able to purchase his own shoe making factory, realising the boyhood dream. In establishing his factory, Zanotti knew he wanted his shoes to be excellently produced, just like the fine craftsmanship traditions he grew up amidst. He employed skilled shoemakers and embroiderers, upholding the very best standards.

In 1994 he was ready to show his first women’s shoe collection. He has stated he felt too shy to show them in Italy and therefore, he chose to unveil them thousands of kilometres away, in New York! He needn’t have worried, of course – the collection was received rapturously, and Zanotti’s designs quickly became the ‘must-have’ shoes on the feet of Hollywood. Madonna was among the first celebrity fans, and hot on her heels came a host of other stars, all keen to wear Zanotti’s superlative designs.

Over time, Zanotti expanded his repertoire to include other items of fashion and design; bags and jewellery were natural partners to his shoes. He also added shoes for men and wonderful children’s collections.

Zanotti Today

Giuseppe Junior

Super-cool and super-sweet for their little feet. Giuseppe Junior brings all the magic and glamour of the adult collections to a younger audience with unparalleled quality and wonderful use of metallics, zippers and fabric contrasts.

100 Stores, So Many Shoes

Over the last two decades the brand has expanded globally. Following the opening of the first Giuseppe Zanotti Design boutique in Milan, other stores opened in New York, Paris, London, Moscow, Dubai, Hong Kong and many more – numbering an amazing almost 100 stores altogether.

To celebrate 20 years, in 2014 the brand launched a collection of ready-to-wear luxe sportswear – possibly indicating that the future of this brand includes clothing, as well as the shoe and accessories the world has come to love.