If the Shoe Fits: Footwear Phenom Paul Andrew Steps Into New Role at Sergio Rossi
With creative directors stepping down from major fashion houses left and right, it’s become a game of musical chairs for free-agent designers vying to fill the coveted spots—but Sergio Rossi just stopped the music. The heritage luxury footwear house, known for its precise craftsmanship and uniquely feminine aesthetic, has appointed Paul Andrew as creative director. Unlike other appointments that have left fashion fiends scratching their heads, pairing the experimental design maestro with the boundary-pushing Italian shoemakers feels like a step in the right direction.
“Paul Andrew is a remarkable and exciting talent to lead the creative direction of our legendary Sergio Rossi brand. He is admired across the world for his innovative footwear design and technical fluency,” Sergio Rossi CEO Helen Wright shared. “He brings a deep respect for our brand heritage, an instinctive understanding of our diverse audiences, and above all a vibrant creativity that will capture the imagination of the Sergio Rossi woman of today and tomorrow.”
There’s no doubt the English designer has big shoes to fill. Under the guidance of late founder Sergio Rossi, the namesake brand became a fast fixture of Italy’s booming post-war fashion scene, standing out on runways for Versace, Alaïa, and Dolce & Gabbana. In 1960, the eponymous designer wove his creations into the very fabric of Italian culture—and captured international attention—when one of his shoes was featured in Federico Fellini’s hit dramedy La Dolce Vita.
While Rossi’s creations have made an impact well beyond Italy, his native country’s sartorial traditions remain the soul behind every sole. Making one of the brand’s seductive shoes (a process that requires 120 steps and 14 hours of work per pair) occurs at its in-house factory in San Mauro Pascoli—a coastal region with a longstanding tradition of shoemaking. Rossi’s own father taught him the shoemaking trade when he was just a boy. The art of conjuring up fancy footwear is quite literally woven into the brand’s DNA.
If anyone’s up for the task of continuing Rossi’s legacy, it’s Andrew. The seasoned shoe architect trained with fashion titans such as Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, and Alexander McQueen before stepping out on his own with the debut of his namesake footwear line in 2013. Among the label’s early A-list fans, Emma Stone and Lupita Nyong’o often donned his daring designs including sleek sky-high stiletto Mary Janes and bold red fringe-covered boots. A testament to Andrew’s discernment when designing for the modern woman, every style introduced seemed to possess a rare transitional flair that could make a statement in the boardroom or even the club.
The burgeoning British powerhouse became the first shoe designer to win the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund; an enviable stint as Creative Director at Ferragamo followed. But footwear’s unstoppable force wasn’t finished yet. Departing the Florence-based house in 2021, he relaunched the Paul Andrew line the next year and has since premiered several trendsetting collections at the last few New York Fashion Week seasons.
In a statement about his appointment, Andrew shared, “I am honoured and delighted to join Sergio Rossi as Creative Director, a world-renowned house of shoemaking whose roots and legacy speak to the lasting power of Italian savoir-faire. And I look forward to building upon Sergio Rossi’s own unique spirit of innovation and high craft as we propose a bright new vision for the brand today.”
The aesthetic he brings to Sergio Rossi is one characterized by innovation. It doesn’t matter if a shoe seems perfect—he’ll find a way to deliver a glorious remix. At Ferragamo, the ambitious creative heightened the indented base of the iconic F heel for a striking reinvention of the house staple. Another one-of-a-kind creation for his own brand’s relaunch: a heel galvanized with a chrome finish in a car factory—the epitome of industrial-chic. The same collection featured plexiglass-infused wedges à la Cinderella. Fearless in his approach to design without sacrificing comfort or marketability, it’s no wonder much of the fashion industry has been head over heels for the talented Englishman—but Sergio Rossi is the brand that won him over.
Guided by a stellar track-record and a clear point of view, Andrew is poised to shake up the Italian shoe game once again. His debut collection for Sergio Rossi will be for the Fall 2025 season, and with the entire industry watching—it's safe to say the higher the heel the higher the stakes. But we’re sure he’ll put his best foot forward.
