How Zanotti's sneakers became an icon for rappers and pop stars From Travis Scott to JLo, luxury sneakers dominate the lyrics and looks of the stars

«Giuseppe heel, that's the monster shoe» sang Kanye West. It was 2010 and the song, along with Ye's first public appearance in Double Zip, heralded the success Giuseppe Zanotti would have over the course of the decade. He became a designer to pop stars and rappers - the focus of both their lyrics and their looks - and a pioneer of streetwear. In the 1910s, the renowned designer of women's shoes, who until then was best known for his bejeweled shoes and sculptural heels, decided to enter the world of trainers, anticipating the concept of luxury sneakers for several years. «I designed the first trainers inspired by punk and rock music. From this came the idea of characterizing the trainer with a symbol of this world: the zip. Later, I added elements from the world of bikers, such as the studs, and from the world of ski boots, such as the double plate, to the double zip» explains Zanotti. It was a concept that breathed life into the brand's first historic sneakers and anticipated a change that the rest of the industry always tried to flee from and suppress: «It was the trainer that was the great enemy of a certain kind of fashion and traditional manufacturing - but those are the rules of the game and every now and then you have to reset everything and start again».

In 2017, JLo celebrated her affinity with the brand with a capsule collection that consisted of five styles, four sophisticated sandals in neutral hues like powder pink and pearl grey, combined with jeweled embellishments and python prints, and a bejeweled trainer with a double zip fastening, an inner wedge, and rhinestones. The pop star's fondness for the iconic double-zipper wedge sandals had been known for some time, as the singer often chose them for her casual looks. «Switch me in Giuseppe» Ashanti sang in 2007, making herself the mouthpiece for a whole generation of celebrities - such as Rihanna, Beyoncè, Rita Ora, and Britney Spears (it was in 2002 that the designer made vertiginous custard boots for her out of one of the singer's jeans for the cover of Rolling Stones US) and JLo herself - who had grown up fascinated by Zanotti's opulent aesthetic. The brand's collaborations with some of the most famous pop stars on the international scene were then joined by partnerships with a new generation of rappers. From hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd, who starred in the advertising campaign for the launch of the 'Blabber' inspired by the footwear of the first skateboarders, to the Giuseppe for Swae Lee Capsule Collection with glitter boots, bold suede loafers, and hand-painted sneakers with vibrant floral patterns, to the launch of 'Cobras', the low-top model with a 3D cobra wrapping the shoe, in collaboration with Young Thug. Having dressed the MTV generation, the sophistication of Zanotti's luxury shoes continues with the TikTok generation. They are the symbol of a timeless heritage that can adapt to the changing times without ever losing its intimate and disruptive essence.

Find out more at giuseppezanotti.com.