Like all Italians—and especially natives of Milan, his primary residence—Giuseppe Zanotti, the Italian shoe designer known for his refined and cutting-edge styles, has been affected by the pandemic. Zanotti has been self-isolating in his country estate in the small town of Longiano, just a few kilometers from the east coast of Northern Italy, where he has worked to support a local hospital through a personal financial donation.
Purchased five years ago, much of the 16th-century property, including the main house, is still undergoing renovation. For now, Zanotti, his girlfriend, and his French bulldog, Leone, are living in the estate’s historical church—having been granted special permission from the Italian government—with the chapel serving as a makeshift studio. Here, Zanotti gives us the grand tour.
Zanotti consulted with professors in Ravenna to make sure that the church, built in the 1500s, was restored with as much historical accuracy as possible, even tracking down the original furniture and Bible.
Zanotti hasn’t taken longer than a week off from work since starting his company almost 30 years ago. When we speak, he’s been at his home in the country for three weeks, maintaining communication with his teams through FaceTime. And while he’s calling this a break, he’s far from stagnant: When he feels good, he can draw up to 50 pairs of shoes at a time. Right now, he’s drawn to beautiful, ladylike designs, which he sketches on paper with pencil and Acquarello watercolors.
