Your trusted source

Sergio Rossi, the celebrated Italian shoe designer, has died at the age of 84. The cause of death for the master cordwainer, who founded one of Italy’s most illustrious footwear brands in 1968, is not known, Vogue reports.

He was hospitalized in Cesena for a few days, leading sources to speculate he had contracted coronavirus.

The brand’s chief executive officer, Riccardo Sciutto – who has been at the company since April 2016 – announced the news on the morning of 3 April, according to WWD. “It was a great pleasure to have met him,” said Sciutto. “He was our spiritual guide and he is today more than ever.”

Rossi’s cutting-edge footwear, including the famous Opanca sandal, inspired generations of shoe designers, including his son, Gianvito Rossi, who worked with his father until the business was sold to Gucci Group (now Kering) in 1999. Gianvito continued the family legacy by launching his own eponymous brand in 2007.