 . Dies at 84 Amidst Tributes
By Oyinlola Awonuga (The New Diplomat’s Entertainment, Fashion and Style and Sports Desk)
Revered Italian women’s shoe designer Sergio Rossi has died of coronavirus complications at the age of 84, according to the Maurizio Bufalini Hospital in Cesena, in northern Italy.
A source at the hospital, which is located in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, confirmed Rossi’s death to Newsmen on Saturday, but wouldn’t disclose any further details regarding Rossi’s stay at the hospital, his medical history or background, nor the exact date and time of his death.
More than 14,600 people have died of Covid-19 in Italy, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University the highest death count for any country. Italy, which is four weeks into a nationwide lockdown as part of attempts to curb the spread of Covid-19, has confirmed nearly 120,000 cases of the virus.
Renowned as a ground-breaking shoe designer, Rossi was popular among various high-end models and celebrities including Adriana Lima, Rihanna, Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift.
In a statement issued to Rossi’s official Instagram account, Riccardo Sciutto, the CEO for Sergio Rossi Group, paid homage to Rossi.
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Sergio Rossi was a master, and it is my great honor to have met him and gotten to present him the archive earlier this year. His vision and approach will remain our guide in the growth of the brand and the business,” Sciutto said.
“He loved women and was able to capture a woman’s femininity in a unique way, creating the perfect extension of a woman’s leg through his shoes. Our long and glorious history started from his incredible vision and we’ll remember his creativity forever,” Sciutto added.
We want to be part of the rebirth of Italy, which is why Sergio Rossi chooses to take concrete action by supporting the hospital ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco in Milan with a donation of €100,000 and by launching a challenge to all women who have loved wearing our collections over the years. From the 14th to the 20th of March, 100% of the proceeds made on SergioRossi.com will be donated to support the fight against Covid–19,” the company said.
Sergio Rossi was born in 1935 in the town of San Mauro Pascoli, in the Romagna region of Italy.
He built his factory in San Mauro Pascoli in 1951, In the early years, he worked through the winter making sandals that he would later sell on the beaches of Rimini and to boutiques in Bologna
Rossi is survived by his son, Gianvito Rossi, who posted a tribute to his late father, calling him “Maestro” via the Instagram account of his own shoe brand.
