His fans include Hollywood's finest - Anne Hathaway, Demi Moore, Kate Hudson, Eva Mendes, Beyoncé and Katy Perry. But shoe designer Cesare Casadei, who believes stilettoes, pumps, ballets and platforms are not just footwear but a reflection of an emotion, has one regret. "I wish Marilyn Monroe could have stepped out in my designs," he says. "That was my dream."
While he was in Dubai to organise a showcase of his latest collection, which is available at the Casadei boutique at The Dubai Mall, the 49-year-old Italian shoe master told Friday: "I create poetry in leather every time I create a new design."
A perfectionist, he regularly rejects his own prototypes until the shoe he has in mind takes shape. "I'm always searching for the ultimate design and will always do so because, to me, work is a way of life,'' he says.
Cesare learnt from the best - his parents Quinto and Flori Casadei, who established the Casadei brand in 1958, and has spent a lifetime honing his craft. He is now one of the most sought-after shoe designers in the industry. But his shoes aren't style over substance. With a price tag of up to Dh17,000 a pair, Cesare knows he has to make designs that last.
"As important as the look is the engineering of the shoe," he says. "It should not just be good to look at but comfortable to wear too. When a woman wears my limited edition shoe, she becomes the limited edition. And that is a special moment for me."
Work
I remember being surrounded by leather and beautifully made shoes as a child. My parents had set up a factory near to our home in San Mauro, Forli Cesena Provine, in the Piedmont region of Italy. I felt I was very different from other children, because my toys were shoes. I loved the feel and smell of leather and in summers slept among rolls of it since that was the coolest place in the house.
To see my parents, I'd hop over to the factory where my mother would be busy selecting the material, checking the textures and the colours involved with a shoe while my father would work on the details of the design. They were so passionate that they often worked around the clock. The factory was my home.
I went to a boarding school in Switzerland, then studied for a degree in commerce and economics from Bologna University. When I returned home, I announced: "I want to get into real estate." It was booming at the time and for some reason I felt I'd be good at it. But I soon realised my heart was truly into designing shoes and I joined the family business in 1987. I haven't looked back since.
My father taught me a lot of things but one of the most important lessons I learnt from him was to never compromise your integrity.
Initially, I was placed in the sales department and travelled the world trying to understand what women wanted when it came to footwear and how to create the most desirable shoe at an affordable price. The best compliment I received from someone in Hollywood was: "Your shoes are very sexy, feminine and also comfortable."
I guess this is what defines my designs. My father used to tell me, "It's important to give women something very innovative and trendy but you need to keep their feet on the ground!" That's the starting point for me.
I begin working on the season's colour palette seven months ahead of the season they are to hit the market. All our shoes are totally handmade and creating a shoe is an intricate process. The Casadei shoe has a soul and a woman has to feel confident, beautiful and very special when she steps into one.
Play
For inspiration, I draw upon random images, memories — a flashback from a film, a piece of music I heard and pretty things I have seen. Of course, the end product is the sum of the efforts of my team members, the expectations from the market and the demand of the new season. My job is to put the pieces of this jigsaw together and create a design that resonates with our world. I must say, it's a fine balance.
I can say that in all my years in this business, I have managed to retain the same values and philosophy my father used in his creations while at the same time innovating and being in step with the trends to be able to interpret the special nuances defining the future of shoes.
I met my wife Alessandra during one of my visits to London. She was the manager of our showroom there. We were drawn together because of our passion for shoes and, believe it or not, the same Italian soccer team — Inter Milan. We hope that our children, Arianna and Frederico, who are in their late teens, will continue to share this love as much as we do. I love spending time with them.
I enjoy travelling and in my job I do quite a lot of it. As for sports, I like football. I don't play it but love watching it when I do have time. My idea of leisure? Shopping for fish with my wife at the local market. She is a wonderful cook.
Dream
I have great plans for expansion in Dubai. We already have three stores here - at Wafi Mall, at Galeries Lafayette and one in The Dubai Mall. Dubai has all the elements of a modern, international city. It mirrors my restless, innovative energy. Every time I visit, something has changed; a new thing has been added to its skyline. I appreciate its ability to change.
The ultimate shoe design is yet to be created. I want to continue in the same creative strain. Now I'm comfortable with my own creativity and that of my team. I want our synergy to continue and hope that it will help me preserve the legacy of the Casadei brand.
I hope my children will continue the family tradition. I never compel them to but my daughter is showing interest. I would love her to continue my work in the same spirit.
