THEthe fashion industry says goodbye to one of its most influential and prominent figures, symbol of style Made in Italy. AND diedIndeed, Cesare Paciotti.
On the evening of Sunday 12 October, the famous entrepreneur and shoe designer was struck by a fatal illness in his home in Civitanova Marche. I had 67 years old. The brand that bears his name, relaunched a few years ago after a difficult period, confirms itself as one of the It Shoes brands most loved by stars and fashion enthusiasts. Iconic and unmistakable thanks to the heel from the shape a dagger.
From Marche to the whole world
The love of footwear is a matter of family. Cesare Paciotti’s parents, Cecilia and Giuseppe, founded in 1948 the Paris snc company, dedicated to the production of high quality classic shoes, made strictly by hand. After the sudden death of Giuseppe Paciotti, the brand continues its activity thanks to Cesare’s mother and grandmother, who grows up immersed in a universe of craftsmanship, savoir-faire and strong female figures. Following his studies at the DAMS in Bologna and countless trips around the world, in 1980 Cesare Paciotti inherits the family business. Inaugurating a period of unprecedented popularity and success.
Cesare Paciotti greets the public at the end of a show at the China Fashion Week Autumn-Winter 2009/2010, in Beijing, in 2009 (Photo by Guang Niu/Getty Images)
Cesare Paciotti and that iconic dagger heel
Starting from the 1980s, therefore, Paciotti became the director creative of the family brand, now renamed with his name. His sister Paola, who has always been at Cesare’s side, takes care of the operational management of the brand. Meeting him remains fundamental in the life and career of Cesare Paciotti Gianni Versacewho entrusted him with the production of the Italian fashion house’s shoes. The footwear entrepreneur from the Marche region, for his part, has always cited Versace as a reference and source of inspiration.
Cesare Paciotti photographed next to Santo Versace and Anna Wintour in 2008 (Photo by Venturelli/WireImage)
What enters the collective imagination, however, is a detail that is anything but secondary, later transformed into the undisputed symbol of Paciotti. The famous daggerproposed as a stiletto heel or as a decoration, definitively stands out as the unofficial logo of the brand. “The dagger heelswhich has become a symbol of the brand, will remain in the imagination as a declaration of identity and courage. He will be remembered for his style seductive and his extraordinary human generosity”, the company writes in a note. Furthermore, particularly in the 2000s, the style boldsensual, over the top and infinitely glamour of Paciotti conquers the major ones star of Hollywood, who show off his shoes on the most important red carpets.
Cesare Paciotti with Naomi Campbell in New York in 2002 (Photo by Rose Hartman/Getty Images)
The great return
After some difficult years, especially from an economic point of view, today the Cesare Paciotti brand is carried forward by Grandchild Marco Calcinaro. Over the last few seasons, the brand has been relaunched starting from the historical and most iconic models, rediscovered, appreciated and sought after by the new generations on the platforms of second hand. The dagger, therefore, returns to dominate the communication and aesthetic universe of the brand, faithful to its DNA and its identity.
Cesare Paciotti remains, in any case, a symbol of excellence and savoir-faire of Made in Italy. Always standing out for its bold and courageous style.
Entered the collective imagination.