Sergio Rossi
Encyclopedia
Sergio Rossi is an Italian fashion designer and distributor of women's shoe
s and handbag
s, as well as a limited range of men's shoes. The Sergio Rossi label is owned by the French conglomerate PPR
.
region of Italy in the 1950s. He moved to Milan for two years, and started selling his own shoes to shops in Bologna
in 1966. He is perhaps best known for his collaborations with Gianni Versace
in the 1970s, and Dolce & Gabbana
in the 1990s.
The first boutique to bear his name opened in Ancona
, and the company expanded internationally through the 1980s and 1990s. This culminated in 1999, when it was bought by the Gucci Group.
In 2011 Sergio Rossi operates 38 directly owned stores and 29 franchisee stores, including a dedicated men's shop in Milan
and an online boutique for the US. The current Creative Director is Francesco Russo.
In 2009, in a move to demonstrate that luxury and fashion can be combined with sustainability, Sergio Rossi launched the Eco Pump, a biodegradable fashion shoe made using Liquid Wood (derived from lignin
) in the heel and sole, and leather uppers tanned using eco sensitive tanners. Part of the proceeds from its sale are being given to GoodPlanet.org.
Shoe
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function...
s and handbag
Handbag
A handbag, or purse in American English, is a handled medium-to-large bag that is often fashionably designed, typically used by women, to hold personal items such as wallet/coins, keys, cosmetics, a hairbrush, pepper spray, cigarettes, mobile phone etc....
s, as well as a limited range of men's shoes. The Sergio Rossi label is owned by the French conglomerate PPR
PPR (company)
PPR is a French multinational holding company specializing in retail shops and luxury brands. The company was founded in 1963 by the businessman François Pinault and is now run by his son François-Henri Pinault. It is quoted on Euronext Paris and is a constituent of the CAC 40 index...
.
Biography
Rossi started working with his father, a shoemaker in San Mauro Pascoli, in the RomagnaRomagna
Romagna is an Italian historical region that approximately corresponds to the south-eastern portion of present-day Emilia-Romagna. Traditionally, it is limited by the Apennines to the south-west, the Adriatic to the east, and the rivers Reno and Sillaro to the north and west...
region of Italy in the 1950s. He moved to Milan for two years, and started selling his own shoes to shops in Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
in 1966. He is perhaps best known for his collaborations with Gianni Versace
Gianni Versace
Gianni Versace was an Italian fashion designer and founder of Gianni Versace S.p.A., an international fashion house, which produces accessories, fragrances, makeup and home furnishings as well as clothes. He also designed costumes for the theatre and films, and was a friend of Madonna, Elton John,...
in the 1970s, and Dolce & Gabbana
Dolce & Gabbana
Dolce & Gabbana is an Italian luxury industry fashion house. The company was started by the Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana in Milan, Italy. By 2005 their turnover was €597 million....
in the 1990s.
The first boutique to bear his name opened in Ancona
Ancona
Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....
, and the company expanded internationally through the 1980s and 1990s. This culminated in 1999, when it was bought by the Gucci Group.
In 2011 Sergio Rossi operates 38 directly owned stores and 29 franchisee stores, including a dedicated men's shop in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
and an online boutique for the US. The current Creative Director is Francesco Russo.
In 2009, in a move to demonstrate that luxury and fashion can be combined with sustainability, Sergio Rossi launched the Eco Pump, a biodegradable fashion shoe made using Liquid Wood (derived from lignin
Lignin
Lignin or lignen is a complex chemical compound most commonly derived from wood, and an integral part of the secondary cell walls of plants and some algae. The term was introduced in 1819 by de Candolle and is derived from the Latin word lignum, meaning wood...
) in the heel and sole, and leather uppers tanned using eco sensitive tanners. Part of the proceeds from its sale are being given to GoodPlanet.org.