Indians were buying luxury well before anyone else: Edgardo Osorio 

Edgardo Osorio, the 39-year-old creative director and founder of Italian footwear and lifestyle brand Aquazzura, is a self-confessed Indophile who has visited the country several times over the past decade, so it was only natural for him to open a boutique in New Delhi’s upscale The Chanakya Mall.

The Colombian-born, Miami-raised designer, who launched the label in 2011 with the goal of creating beautiful yet comfortable shoes that let women dance the night away, has a presence in more than 58 countries with clients ranging from European royalty to Hollywood and more. : Bollywood stars. In a casual chat with Business Today, Osorio spoke about his love for India, his journey, the growth of his brand and the future.

How important is India as a market for you?

I think it’s a market that has huge potential. We’ve had fabulous Indian customers for a long time. And I see the region growing more and more.

People say that India is an emerging market, but Indians used to buy luxury. And so it’s a market that I think is kind of coming back with new customers. So there’s a huge potential.

We are probably the number one luxury shoe brand for weddings and parties and this is a country of weddings and parties.We are known for making the most comfortable heels and I think Indian women understand that and will enjoy discovering the brand.

But why did you decide to come to India now, why not earlier?

I think it is the right time to be in India because the market is ready for us. But at the same time, it was a case of finding the right partner. [Aquazurra has partnered with DS Luxury for its India foray.] Also, many Indians are now familiar with our brand as they have bought it all over the world.

Can you tell us a little more about the brand and its journey?

Aquazzura means blue water. I was in Capri, on a terrace overlooking the sea, and I said to myself that I wanted a name that reminded me of summer, an Italian vacation. I wanted the brand to be a modern dolce vita I was 25 and attended 12 weddings in one summer.I love to dance, but I realized that most of the women complained that their shoes were killing them Within half an hour of hitting the dance floor, I thought there was an opportunity to make some nice, comfortable shoes.

And then after that summer I went to New York to check out what was in all the department stores. And I remember being in Bergdorf’s, and there were all these designers that I knew, but they were all older than me, like big And I thought that there is an opportunity to be the shoe designer of my generation.

Because, you know, maybe young girls don’t identify as much with someone who’s 55 or 60, even though they’re very talented and their mom’s closets are full of those shoes. Maybe they want something their age project for themselves.And so I decided to take a leap of faith and create Aquazurra in 2011 with just $15,000 in my bank, making them by hand in Florence. and then I took a suitcase full of shoes to New York, where I showed them in multi-brand boutiques, and that helped me. Two years later, we opened our first boutique in Florence. Today, we have boutiques in Florence, New York, Miami , in Doha, Dublin, Milan, Sao Paulo, Capri, Madrid, Paris, Rome, In Taipei, St Tropez, Manama, Kuwait, Riyadh and now New Delhi.

What inspires your designs?

I am lucky enough to travel around the world for 7-10 months every year.I love to explore cultures.Every culture has so much beauty, especially a rich culture like India where you have fashion, music, dance, everything What: Culture and women inspire me.

I have the joy and privilege of meeting incredible women all over the world and seeing what they wear, how they put things together, what they think, and you know, it’s funny, there are so many interesting things out there coming from the conversation.

So it all kind of comes together in my mind. When I sit down to design a shoe, it can be anything that hits me. So many times I’ve been in a restaurant and asked for a napkin that I’m sketching on. waiting for my food

Will your entire collection be available in India?

For now, we are more focused on accessories, but I would like to bring home accessories to India. For now, it will be shoes, bags and jewelry. Next year, we will also be launching a capsule for men’s shoes.

Aquazurra stands out for its non-logos, be it shoes or bags.Was that a conscious decision?

You don’t need a logo when there’s a design signature. I guess elegance doesn’t require logos or branding. You know an Aquazura shoe when you see it. You don’t need to see a logo.

Will you be looking at a collection inspired by India?

I started one a few years ago, but I would like to collaborate with an Indian designer and launch a range. My shoes are all handmade in Tuscany, an hour away from Florence, but I do a lot of embroidery in India and that will continue.

What’s next for the brand?

My dream has always been to become a lifestyle brand. So we’re launching eyewear and a men’s capsule, as I said. But we’re also entering the F&B space and launching our first Aquazurra bar in Rome. We’re also launching candles and room fragrances and doing other things within the indoor category. So many projects to come.