Sergio Rossi (shoe designer)
Sergio Rossi (31 July 1935 – 2 April 2020) was an Italian shoe designer, who founded his own brand.[1]
Sergio Rossi | |
|---|---|
| Born | 31 July 1935 San Mauro Pascoli, Italy |
| Died | 2 April 2020 (aged 84) Cesena, Italy |
| Occupation | Fashion designer |
| Years active | 1951–2020 |
| Known for | Sergio Rossi brand |
Biography
Rossi was born in San Mauro Pascoli in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. He worked with his father, a shoemaker, and learned the trade.[1]
In 1951, he opened his first shoe store. He also made sandals and sold them to beach-goers in Rimini and at Bologna boutiques. In 1968, the first shoes, marked with the Rossi brand, were produced.
Each pair of shoes took at least 14 hours to make and went through 120 different stages. They were seen on runways for Gianni Versace, Azzedine Alaia and Dolce & Gabbana. He first gained attention in 1960 when film director Federico Fellini used his shoe for actress Anita Ekberg in La Dolce Vita.[2]
In 1999, his brand was sold to the Gucci Group, known now as Kering for $96.2 million.[3] It was then sold by Kering to Investindustrial in 2015.[1]
In March 2020, Rossi and his company donated €100,000 to the Ospedale Luigi Sacco in Milan, in a joint effort from the fashion industry to combat the coronavirus pandemic in Italy.[4]
Family
Rossi's son, Gianvito Rossi, created his own footwear collection in 2006.[5]
Death
On 2 April 2020, Rossi died in Cesena at the Maurizio Bufalini Hospital from COVID-19 at the age of 84.[6][7]
References
- Bramley, Ellie Violet (3 April 2020). "Italian shoe designer, Sergio Rossi, dies aged 84". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- "Sergio Rossi, the legendary Italian shoe designer, dies at 84". British Vogue. 3 April 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- Friedman, Vanessa (6 April 2020). "Sergio Rossi, Italian Shoemaker and Ready-to-Wear Ally, Dies at 84". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
- In the Face of a Global Crisis, What Is the Fashion Industry Doing?
- Yotka, Steff (3 April 2020). "Legendary Shoe Designer Sergio Rossi Dies From COVID-19 Complications". Vogue. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- Abel, Katie; Zargani, Luisa (3 April 2020). "Sergio Rossi Dies at 84".
- Messia, Hada; Mendonca, Duarte; Woodyatt, Amy (4 April 2020). "Sergio Rossi, 'master' Italian shoe designer, dies of coronavirus complications at 84". CNN. Retrieved 5 April 2020.