Rene Caovilla.  Ah yes, that ever elusive yet eternally alluring European man. Creative to the core and mysterious to the max.  This curator of couture has celebrities from Beyonce to Heidi Klum singing his praises and donning his stunning footwear everywhere from red carpet premieres to launch parties and commercial sets.

This designer revered across the world for his unbelievably intricate designs has a history. This history, unlike the notoriety enjoyed by some 15 minute of fame celebrities today, is actually steeped in true artistry and talent.

The success and skill in Caovilla's history actually leads back to Boston, Massachusetts. In the late 1800's, Italy suffered from massive unemployment. The only alternative left for many was to emigrate to the United States.  Working in the explosive growth of the shoe industry in Boston, Luigi Voltan, the father of the Riviera del Brenta footwear district in Italy, learned how the mechanization of certain processes in shoes could become an asset to Italy (source).

Returning to the village of Stra, Luigi Voltan brought with him the superior production knowledge and speed from Boston and combined it with Italian artistry.  The combination proved to be revolutionary; cutting production costs and lowering prices for consumers, an enormous help to the weak economy. Edoardo Caovilla, the father of Rene Cavoilla learned the artisanship and master business expertise of shoemaking from  Luigi. Expanding upon this knowledge, Edoardo created an even more elaborate and intense shoemaking business, making it something between handcraft and couture (source).

The 1950's brought the revolution of footwear full circle back to creativity and passion with the involvement of Edoardo's son Rene Fernando.  Rene settled for nothing less than the best of the best, designing artistic renderings of shoes that were really jeweled masterpieces made to wear on one's feet.  Caovilla's collaborations are a wish list of every fashionista on the planet. Heavenly shoes with Valentino Garavani, outstanding creations with the impactful Christian Dior and of course, a  creative bond at Chanel with an eternal genius of design, Karl Lagerfield.

So what fascinates and inspires this husband of Paola and father of two?  According to the man himself "The sources of inspiration can be found everywhere; in a piece of lace, in a precious kimono…in the gentleness of a dance, everything buds from passion and continuous research" (source).  All this is evidenced in the careful creations of Caovilla's design.  Crystals adorn what could otherwise be an ordinary stiletto.  Lace provides the finishing and stunning touch to another pair.

No Rene Caovilla shoe is ordinary.  His shoes are not simply a demonstration of luxury.  These gems represent a refinement and elegance that has been otherwise lost. These stunning shoes are truly an "expression of cultural tradition" (source) — MICHELE McKIRDY

Where to find Rene Caovilla in the U.S., Asia, Africa and Austrailia.

Fear not, some pieces can also be bought online!