Gianvito Rossi visited Qatar to open his namesake store, and OHLALA had the pleasure of talking to the man behind this awe-inspiring Italian brand. A label that brings legacy and excellence to the shoe world.
OHLALA – Your relationship with the shoemaking industry is a heritage from your late father, Sergio Rossi. Did you always know that you would work in this field? Was it imprinted in your DNA or something you embraced later in life?
Gianvito Rossi – I grew up seeing my father creating shoes, and I do consider myself very lucky because I had the chance to learn all about shoes from him. He had extreme attention to design and was always looking to reach the perfect silhouette. I believe this is the greatest lesson I learned from him. The ability to be constantly dedicated ensures the quest for perfection that is now obviously imprinted into my DNA.
OHLALA – You created your own brand in 2006. What was the main motivation to start your label?
Gianvito – After my father sold his company, I realised I couldn’t really stay away from the shoe world. The launch of Gianvito Rossi Milano was definitely a changing moment in my career and life. This meant exposing myself and my designs without knowing how the public would react. It was important to continue the family tradition while allowing me to express my style and creativity. I could not think of anything else, it was, and it is still today, a pure and genuine passion.
OHLALA – What have you conquered in your career until now that you are most proud of ?
Gianvito – I have to say the loyalty and passion of our clients. When I see them appreciating the collections, I couldn’t be happier.
OHLALA – What are the main characteristics of Gianvito Rossi shoes? Is there a principle that you always follow when designing a new collection?
Gianvito – I think the key elements of Gianvito Rossi shoes are the comprehensive research of raw materials as well as the continuous and meticulous study of shapes and proportions. These are the essential characteristics of every creation.
OHLALA – Can you tell us more about the work you are developing with the University of Bologna? How important is it for you to implement sustainability in your brand?
Gianvito – The work with the University of Bologna is an important project to me. It allowed us to understand our environmental impact through hard data and use this knowledge to mitigate our internal carbon footprint. As a company, we took our first step towards sustainability a few years ago, lowering our CO2 impact while applying the circular economy concept. We are also reducing and upcycling our waste in a constantly improving programme.
OHLALA – Qatar is a style-forward country with its fashion scene standing out in the region. How important is it for you to have a Gianvito Rossi boutique here?
Gianvito – I think Qatar is an amazing country and, specifically, in the past years, the luxury industry scene has grown quite a lot. I’m very happy to be present in Qatar with our rollout of stores opening in the region.
OHLALA – Why do you think that Qatari women and men will fall in love with your creations?
Gianvito – I think both Qatari men and women appreciate how we treat proportions, making the design even more geometric with cleaner lines. And I believe that both know how to recognise high quality.
OHLALA – What message do you want to spread with your brand?
Gianvito – My objective is to celebrate women’s silhouettes, making them feel beautiful.