DESIGNER FOCUS
INTERVIEW WITH FRANCESCO RUSSO
Interview with the shoes designer Francesco Russo.
- JULIAN FASHION: Italian born but French by adoption: What do you miss the most about Italy? And What don’t you miss at all?
- FRANCESCO RUSSO: Even though I haven’t lived in Italy since 2000, first living in France and later in Switzerland, I have never stopped coming back. All my designs, for all the brands with which I collaborate, including my own, are produced exclusively in Italy and I still come back to follow their production. I have never completely abandoned my country of origin and it will always have a special place in my heart. The things I love the most about Italy are the culture, the cuisine, the climate and the human warmth, even if at times it could be a tad excessive or out of place. I don’t particularly like the provincialism that exists there, the backwardness with regards to certain topics such as equal rights and equality, and the closemindedness to experimentation and innovation. Since the 1980’s, Italy has undergone a progressive, rapid and continual cultural decline that leaves very little space for new creative ideas.
- JULIAN FASHION: After your experience in different fashion brands, you have decided to found your label. What about your reference points?
- FRANCESCO RUSSO: I decided to realize my brand in order to express my thought and creativity without implicate my creative beliefs, defending the design, the high quality and the comfort, which are essential for luxury shoes. Also time is determinant for making luxury shoes: you need time to develop design, study and techniques, which are not tipical of Fast Fashion system.
- JULIAN FASHION:
- Your way is a new one of dealing with the designer’ profession, more human and warmer. Why did you decide to be different from today's fashion system?
- FRANCESCO RUSSO: It's the only way I can honestly express my beliefs. I can’t do my job in different ways and pretending – my nature ,fortunately or unfortunately, does not allow me to pretend.
- JULIAN FASHION: Your creations are both essential and sensual and they infuse - excellent – hand made concept and femininity: how to make perfect shoes?
- FRANCESCO RUSSO: Years of experience in the footwear industry and infinite love and respect for women. The reason why I establish my brand at the age of 40 and not 20 is because, I knew that if I ever decided to have my own women’s shoes brand, they would have to be real and could be at the service of women. I do not believe in the footwear design as an object and adorment than as an important supporting structure. I think that shoes have to adapt to women’s body needs.
- JULIAN FASHION:Beauty and comfort are two basic qualities. What percentage are respectively present in your creations?
- FRANCESCO RUSSO: One quality can not live without the other. Whether for technical functions, such as for sneakers, or simply to enhance the silhouette and exalt posture, such as for heels, shoes have a specific function. In both cases comfort is the successful element. There is nothing worse than see a beautiful and well dressed woman who wears uncomfortable shoes and has difficulty in walking in. This is not the image of a woman who, since I was a child, made me dream of working with this fantastic object, and being part of the transformation from cocoon to butterfly, that the shoe with heel, if comfortable and built well, it is able to make. Discover the collection!