Rosie Assoulin’s New Capsule With Sergio Rossi Is the Shoe Brand’s First Vegan Line
Shannon Adducci
Style Director
Womenswear designer Rosie Assoulin is known for her exuberant, capacious gowns and separates, truly original garments that defy conventional silhouettes while remaining wholly feminine. She’s recently begun to dabble in shoes, pairing elongated square toes, uncommon color palettes and extreme lacing with those gowns, jumpsuits and wide-leg pants. It’s footwear that is equally unique as her ready-to-wear and some of the best to come out of New York Fashion Week.
But imaginative designs can be challenging to produce, especially in footwear, which has a notoriously complicated manufacturing process.
Enter Sergio Rossi. The Italian footwear brand invited Assoulin to its San Mauro Pascuoli factory late last year, where the designer toured the archives and facilities, which were built in 1951 by the namesake founder and shoemaker. There, she sat down with the brand’s designers and artisans to create a capsule of pumps, flats and mules that marry her unique design perspective with the capabilities of a heritage factory. “I loved the idea of merging the Italian know-how with an eclectic, young and energetic force,” said Riccardo Sciutto, Sergio Rossi Group CEO, who pointed to Assoulin as the perfect designer for the task. “We strongly believe in the power of collaborations. Her ethical vegan stand was perfect for this.” The capsule with Assoulin represents Sergio Rossi’s first effort in vegan footwear.
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There are 10 different styles in total, done red, white, black and blue floral silks. Each one is topped with a bouquet of faux pearls that rests on the footwear brand’s square metal plaque. “I was inspired to add some playful but classic elements,” said Assoulin. “What’s more classic than pearls?”
The capsule is also part of its Sr Addiction launch, a line of collaborations with various designers and personalities that debuted in May with Milanese fashion and interior designer Mara Ferri. The brand has a long history of collaborations with esteemed designers and collaborated with powerhouses like Dolce & Gabbana, Versace and Azzedine Alaïa during the ’80s and ’90s.
Assoulin presented her spring ’20 collection at New York Fashion Week in early September. It was another vibrant continuation of her signature billowing colors, mixed with sporty and slightly seaside-esque ensembles that also incorporated a round of unique footwear shapes and styles.
