The fancy Venetian shoe-lady
- Giovanna is known around the world for her eccentric shoe designs
- She learned shoe-making techniques from Master Rolando Segalin
- She believes that a shoe should first and foremost be comfortable
With her work sitting somewhere in between craftsmanship and art, Giovanna Zanella inhabits the Venice we all know and dream about but that is only accessible to a few: the one made of artisanal work and workshops but also of sparkling events and glamorous parties. Her international clientele is made of artists, art collectors, architects and all sorts of creatives who come to visit the city during the Biennale or during the Venice Film Festival and, between an art show and a fancy dinner, they stop to look at Giovanna’s display window and to discuss her latest designs. Giovanna’s creations follow no trends and no seasons, her primary source of inspiration is the city itself, with all its art and its history, where ideas might flow even just by sitting in a café.
Interview
- How did you start working with your hands?
- I studied pattern-making in school and then I started experimenting with fashion design. I did a bit of everything, not just clothes but also hats, jewellery, costumes and bags, always keeping my creations outside the rigid boundaries of fashion trends.
- What led you to eventually become a shoemaker specifically?
- Shoes have always been a great passion of mine and after meeting Rolando Segalin, who back then was very famous in Venice, I decided to focus only on this. I opened my workshop 26 years ago just next to Ponte di Rialto, right in the heart of Venice.
- What kind of shoes do you make?
- Custom-made shoes for men and women, entirely handmade. I am known for my crazy designs but I also do simple shoes for people who, for example, have orthopaedic problems. I also keep a collection of ready-made shoes in various sizes for those who cannot wait, a custom-made shoe takes two to three months to be ready.
- What must an elegant shoe look like for you?
- There is no elegance without comfort. High heels and such lose all their elegance if the woman wearing them is not comfortable and cannot walk properly. Segalin taught me first of all to take care of the wellbeing of the foot, all the rest is secondary.
Giovanna Zanella is an expert artisan: she began her career in 1995
Where
Giovanna Zanella
