My family owned a gelateria business, so as a kid, I would always design ice cream cones. If you want to transform a shoe from design into a properly wearable product, however, you need technical knowledge. So I worked for four years inside a local shoe company. Giuseppe Zanotti Read Quote
At school I was a disaster, but when I would design, I could feel a sense of pride. I’ve always designed, and I would literally design everything I’d see: cars, bikes, motorcycles – everything. Giuseppe Zanotti Read Quote
People online will tell you what they really think – there’s no diplomacy. They’re honest; it’s good to have the feedback immediately. Giuseppe Zanotti Read Quote
The place where I think social media fails is in showing the knowledge, the tradition of stitching the clothing, of cutting the fabric, of the tannery, of the skinning of the jewels – this knowledge needs respect. Online and social media is the future, but we need to learn from the past, too. Giuseppe Zanotti Read Quote
You cannot design shoes if you only think about fashion; it’s too realistic. When I design, I dream. Giuseppe Zanotti Read Quote
Every time I work with a star, I learn a lot. Also, I teach a lot because I’m a shoemaker, a designer. I’m born with a pencil in my hand. For old teenagers like me it’s good to learn. Giuseppe Zanotti Read Quote
High heels are like a beauty lift. In a flat, you can feel beautiful, but a stiletto changes your mood, how you move – like a wild, beautiful animal. The idea was always to follow a woman’s wardrobe, her desires. Giuseppe Zanotti Read Quote
Sneakers are a new era. Anyone can feel new with a new pair of shoes. They make you feel contemporary. It’s fun because I’m not a young designer, and it opens my brain. Hip-hop isn’t just for the U.S. Everyone loves it. Giuseppe Zanotti Read Quote
Kanye West is a brilliant poet and artist. He and I work in a very similar way. We feel the vibration, the power of something, and it inspires us to create, whether it is music or design. It is the same process. Working with Kanye is a joy and great privilege. In 2012, we did collaboration together. Giuseppe Zanotti Read Quote
