Edgardo Osorio

Edgardo Osorio launched his luxury footwear brand, Aquazzura, in 2011. His shoes have proved to be bestsellers, tapping into demand for elegant yet practical footwear. Within days of Barneys New York ordering his debut Spring/Summer 2012 collection, they had sold out. Today, Aquazzura is stocked at over 350 stockists worldwide, including Net-a-Porter, Bergdorf Goodman and Matchesfashion.com.

Colombian-born and raised between Miami and London, it was in Italy where Osorio’s passion for footwear began. His success is testament to his decades of work within the fashion industry — Osorio began interning at fashion companies in his native Colombia at the age of 14. At 16, he moved to London to study at the London College of Fashion, but swiftly dropped out to take a job as shoes and accessories designer at Salvatore Ferragamo. At the age of 23, whilst still studying at Polimoda, Osorio was made head of shoes at Roberto Cavalli.

Returning to his Italian design roots, Osorio designed a capsule collection for Salvatore Ferragamo in 2016. This collaboration sees him follow in the footsteps of Yohji Yamamoto and Nicole Battaglia, who partnered with the brand in 2009 and 2016 respectively.

Today, Osorio’s studio is situated in Florence, the same city where he got his big break, in the historical Palazzo Corsini alongside his recently opened flagship store. This location keeps Osorio in immediate proximity with his suppliers and manufacturers — a key factor in the success of his business.

His elegant yet practical designs have won him a host of accolades, including Best Accessories Designer of the Year at the Elle Style Awards 2014. From global fashion editors to European royalty, Osorio has created highly coveted shoes, which strike the balance between contemporary design and traditional Italian craftsmanship.