Italian Shoe Brands for Women: The Houses to Know, From Florence to Milan

The best Italian shoe brands for women include Salvatore Ferragamo, founded in Florence in 1927, Prada and Dolce & Gabbana from Milan, the San Mauro Pascoli houses Casadei, Sergio Rossi and Gianvito Rossi, Rene Caovilla on the Riviera del Brenta, and newer names such as Aquazzura and Paris Texas. For a handmade Milan house with a long story, Sebastian Milano opened in Via Gesu in 1970 and still makes every pair by hand in Italy; shop it on the Sebastian Milano brand page and across designer heels, and compare it with its peers in brands like Sebastian Milano.

What are the best Italian shoe brands for women?

Italy has several shoemaking regions, and most of the big names grew out of one of them. San Mauro Pascoli, in Emilia-Romagna, became a footwear centre after the Second World War. The Riviera del Brenta, near Venice, is one of the country’s storied shoemaking districts. The Marche region is another. Florence and Milan bring the fashion houses that put shoes alongside clothes.

The list below mixes heritage houses with younger labels. Coveti stocks some of them and links to those; the others are named for reference only.

Italian shoe brands at a glance

The heritage houses

Salvatore Ferragamo

Salvatore Ferragamo built his name in America before returning to Italy and setting up his business in Florence in 1927. The company’s headquarters, flagship store and museum are in Palazzo Spini Feroni on Via Tornabuoni. Ferragamo is not stocked at Coveti.

Prada

Prada dates to 1913 in Milan, when Mario Prada, grandfather of Miuccia Prada, opened a shop in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II selling luxury travel goods and accessories. Today its shoes sit inside a full fashion house. Prada is not stocked at Coveti.

Dolce & Gabbana

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana founded their house in 1985 and showed their first women’s collection that year at Milan Fashion Week. The house is headquartered in Milan, and its shoes carry the same love of ornament as the clothes. Shop the Dolce & Gabbana brand page and read the Coveti guide to Dolce & Gabbana heels.

The San Mauro Pascoli houses

Three of the best-known Italian heel makers come from the same small town in Emilia-Romagna.

Sergio Rossi

Sergio Rossi dates its company to 1951 in San Mauro Pascoli. The founder reportedly began by making sandals and selling them to beachgoers in Rimini, and he became known for the Opanca sandal. Not stocked at Coveti.

Casadei

Casadei began in 1958 in a small workshop in San Mauro Pascoli, where Quinto and Flora Casadei made sandals for holidaymakers on the Italian Riviera. Their son Cesare introduced the Blade in 2011, a razor-thin heel inspired by a knife blade. Not stocked at Coveti.

Gianvito Rossi

Gianvito Rossi, son of Sergio Rossi, founded his own label in 2006 in San Mauro Pascoli, with a first collection for Spring Summer 2007. The brand is now headquartered in Milan. Not stocked at Coveti.

Venice, the Marche and Florence

Rene Caovilla

Rene Caovilla is based in Fiesso d’Artico, near Venice on the Riviera del Brenta. The family house began creating jewelled footwear in 2000, and the jewel sandal is what it is known for. Not stocked at Coveti.

Le Silla

Le Silla was founded in 1994 by Enio Silla and Monica Ciabattini in the Marche region. It is known for stiletto heels in satin and leather with crystal details. Not stocked at Coveti.

Aquazzura

Aquazzura was launched in 2011 by the Colombian designer Edgardo Osorio, from a studio in Florence. Crossover straps and sharp stilettos are the signature. Not stocked at Coveti.

The newer names

Paris Texas

Paris Texas was founded in 2015 by sisters Annamaria and Margherita Brivio. The founders say every component is sourced in Italy, from the soles to the buckles, and the label is best known for its leather boots. Shop the Paris Texas brand page and see the Coveti edit of the best designer knee-high boots.

Sebastian Milano: the handmade Milan house

Sebastian Milano opened in 1970 as a small, well-known shop in Via Gesu, in the Quadrilatero della moda. It made handmade shoes for the women of the Milanese bourgeoisie and became famous for shoes for big occasions such as the opening night at La Scala. In 2018 the house was reborn under brand director Angelica Fagioli and her team, and in 2023 it opened a new showroom in a historic palace behind the Castello Sforzesco. Every pair is 100% hand-made in Italy. The full story is in who is Sebastian Milano.

The tassel heel and the Coco heel

Two heels set Sebastian Milano apart from the houses above. The tassel heel finishes a slim heel with a small tassel, and the Fifi Slingback in burgundy leather is the classic example at 95 mm. The Coco heel is a sculpted metal-tone stiletto, also at 95 mm, under the Louise Slingback in burgundy patent and the Karen pump.

The numbered editions

Since Milan Fashion Week Spring Summer 2024, Sebastian Milano has made one new design for each fashion week, in 99 pairs numbered on the insole. The Eva Pump in black patent with gold serpent has a gold chain from toe to ankle that comes off to be worn as jewellery. See all four that Coveti stocks in Sebastian Milano limited edition heels.

For autumn winter 2026/27

For the cold months, the boots are the place to start. The Judy Over-the-Knee Boot in black grained leather rises above the knee in soft folds on a 105 mm heel, and the Jaida slouch boot comes in four shades on a 70 mm heel.

How to choose an Italian shoe brand

Decide what you need the shoe for first. For a bridal heel, the jewelled houses of the Riviera del Brenta and the satin styles of Sebastian Milano are natural places to look. For a working pump, a clean pointed toe at 70 mm to 95 mm will see more wear than a 105 mm evening sandal. For something rare, a design made in only 99 numbered pairs is hard to beat. Check the label for where the shoe is made, and check the sizing. Sebastian Milano, for one, sizes on the Italian scale, which matches the European one. The Sebastian Milano size guide explains the conversion.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most famous Italian shoe brands for women?

The most famous Italian shoe brands for women include Salvatore Ferragamo, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Sergio Rossi, Casadei, Gianvito Rossi and Rene Caovilla. Newer names include Aquazzura and Paris Texas. Sebastian Milano has made handmade shoes in Milan since 1970.

Where are Italian luxury shoes made?

Many are made in a few shoemaking regions. San Mauro Pascoli in Emilia-Romagna, the Riviera del Brenta near Venice and the Marche are among the best known. Sebastian Milano shoes are 100% hand-made in Italy.

Is Sebastian Milano an Italian brand?

Yes. Sebastian Milano was founded in Milan in 1970 as a shop in Via Gesu, and every pair is 100% hand-made in Italy. The company, Sebastian Milano SRL, has its registered office in Parma.

Which Italian shoe brands does Coveti stock?

Coveti stocks Sebastian Milano, Dolce & Gabbana and Paris Texas. Sebastian Milano runs to 45 pairs at Coveti, priced from $710 to $1,530.

What size should I take in Sebastian Milano?

Take your usual EU size. Sebastian Milano sizes on the Italian scale, which matches the European one, so EU 38 is a UK 5 and a US 8. Coveti stocks whole sizes from EU 35 to EU 42.