Giuseppe Zanotti swung through Paris on Thursday to present his spring-summer 2025 collection, and host a lavish, lively dinner at Caviar Kaspia in honor of his brand’s 30th anniversary.
Told the traditional gift for that milestone is pearl, he was surprised, familiar mostly with silver for 25th anniversaries and gold for the 50th.
Clutching a small glass of chilled vodka, Zanotti related that in Italian culture, pearls have a negative association around weddings, their round shape resembling tears and considered by some an omen for a sad marriage.
Not that he hasn’t used pearls on shoes over his vast career, which spans 40 years if you count his decade as a freelance designer.
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“I used them for the first time with Vera Wang, because I designed bridal shoes for her, and she loved to apply the pearl,” he related.
Artist Thomas Lélu, photographer Cate Underwood and influencer Camille Charrière were among revelers who tucked into smoked salmon and caviar-topped potatoes, co-branded Kaspia/Giuseppe turquoise napkins spread on their laps.
Zanotti has already hosted anniversary dinners in Taipei, Bangkok and Hong Kong, and he’s planning another for New York City in early December in tandem with a collection presentation.
He’s also marking the milestone with a special shoe.
“We designed a sandal with a ring toe. I first did them 30 years ago, and I changed them a little bit,” he said, noting the style would be available for one year from January.
Propped on easels at one end of the dining room were photos from a fashion shoot he did featuring the style, the toe-ring glinting with crystal embroideries.
Today, Zanotti said he sells more flats and mid-heel shoes than high heels, “but also I cannot forget this sense of elegance of the high stilettos,” he said.
