The key points
- A shoe can take up to six months to process
- Turnover in 2022 up 70% over 2021, double digit Ebitda
- The first line of bags will be launched in September
From the windows of the Aquazzura headquarters, in the baroque and magnificent Palazzo Corsini, you can see the Arno and the life of the city flow by. «The first time I came to Florence I was enchanted, I love this city, its energy. It is an open-air museum, walking through its alleys you cannot help but breathe art and history, for me all this is a constant source of inspiration “, explains Edgardo Osorio, 36, founder and creative director of the footwear maison that exactly ten years ago decided to give birth and grow up in Florence.
Born in Colombia and raised between Miami and London, Osorio arrived in Italy, studied at Polimoda and worked for companies such as Ferragamo and Roberto Cavalli, before deciding to launch his own brand, which in ten years has become one of the most loved. from celebrities from all over the world: «I moved to Italy many years ago for work and to finish my studies, I immediately felt at home – he says -. Beauty, art, fashion and craftsmanship are part of the DNA of this country, I could never have established my company elsewhere. I am extremely proud to be counted among the Made in Italy brands and to be able to create my creations in a country renowned all over the world for its manufacturing excellence “. Aquazzura shoes are proudly born in the Tuscan leather district: «The Tuscan leather masters are among the best artisans in the world, they still work with traditional techniques and use the highest quality materials – continues Osorio -. Being able to work with them fills me with pride and helps me to make my creations better. Each shoe is treated like a small work of art, made with love, passion and the utmost attention to detail. An Aquazzura shoe can take up to 6 months to work and can have more than 30 distinct components, mainly assembled by hand ».
It is thanks to the combination of creativity and savoir faire that Aquazzura shoes are the protagonists of the most important red carpets in the world, loved by queens and duchesses (Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle are passionate about them) as well as socialites and influencers. And after ten years the brand wants to grow again, ambitious and strong with excellent results, with a 2021 that closed with a turnover up 33% compared to the previous year and a 2022 that expects an increase of as much as 70%: «These numbers are confirmed by the trend of May, which records a consolidated growth of + 103%, driven above all by online sales, a channel in which we strongly believe, and by our direct stores – explains the entrepreneur -. For 2021 we expect a double digit Ebitda, which will further improve in 2022 thanks to the new openings: the boutiques in Paris and Madrid, inaugurated respectively in May and June, will be followed by the opening of new stores with franchise partnerships in Saudi Arabia and a second concession in Paris on the Champs Elysees. Finally, we expect the opening of the first Aquazzura boutique in Rome in Piazza di Spagna by the end of the year ».
Meanwhile, in June, at the Salone del Mobile in Milan, Aquazzura also presented its first Home collection with a tablewear line, a category that fascinates Osorio (“if I hadn’t been a stylist I would have been an interior designer”), a prelude to numerous and upcoming extensions of the brand: “I want to transform Aquazzura into a 360-degree lifestyle brand, with new segments such as eyewear, beauty and perfumery, but also hotels and the food & beverage world, all supported by a constant expansion of the network of retail channels, with new flagship stores around the world – concludes Osorio -. The first Aquazzura bags collection will be launched in September, which will include day and evening models, and in the future there will also be the first collection of men’s footwear “.