Sergio Rossi

Sergio Rossi (1935-2020) was born in San Mauro Pascoli, in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, and learned shoemaking from his father. He took over the family business in 1951 and began designing handmade sandals; in 1966 he opened his own company with his brother, and in 1968 the first shoes bearing his name launched the brand's first official collection. The company remained rooted in San Mauro Pascoli, where its shoes are still made by hand - the brand states each pair goes through around 120 production steps over more than 14 hours. In 2017 Sergio Rossi relaunched its sr1 line, drawing on the house's historical archive and shifting focus from evening footwear toward daywear; the redeveloped sr1 collection has since come to account for roughly half of the brand's sales.