Celebrated footwear designer Sergio Rossi, 84, passed away at a hospital in Cesena in Emilia-Rogna, Italy, one of the regions badly affected by the novel coronavirus, on Friday morning. While it is not clear what the exact cause of his death is, it is suspected that he had been infected with COVID-19.
“He was a master, it was a great pleasure to have met him. He was our spiritual guide and he is today more than ever,” said the Sergio Rossi brand’s chief executive officer, Riccardo Sciutto.
The designer learnt shoemaking from his father and started his career as a designer by selling his creations to shops in Bologna in 1966. He launched his own label in 1968. Some of his most famous designs are the Opanca sandal, the Godiva pump and the Virginia pump. Through his career, Rossi collaborated with iconic fashion houses such as Versace, Dolce & Gabbana and Azzedine Alaïa. Some of his most famous fans include Rihanna, Selena Gomez, Lupita Nyong'o, Gwyneth Paltrow, Bella Hadid, Rita Ora and Ariana Grande.
The designer sold his brand to the Gucci Group (now known as Kering) in 1999. Kering then sold it to European investment house Investindustrial in 2015.
In March, the designer donated €100,000 to the Sacco hospital in Milan towards the fight against the pandemic.