Italian fashion designer, footwear pioneer, and entrepreneur Cesare Paciotti passed away unexpectedly on October 12, aged 69. Paciotti was surrounded by the love of his children and family in his hometown of Civitanova Marche.

Together with his sister Paola, Paciotti wrote an important chapter in the history of Made in Italy footwear.

Cesare Paciotti’s father Giuseppe Paciotti founded a footwear company in 1948 in Civitanova Marche, in central Italy’s renowned footwear district. The first brand the business launched on the market was called Paris, which offered a range of classic style men’s footwear. The label’s shoes were made entirely by hand and incorporated the most sophisticated Made in Italy techniques.

From the late 1970s, the business passed into the hands of Paciotti’s children, Paola and Cesare. The siblings immediately recognised the potential of a new cultural phenomenon that was fast becoming a big business: a group of designers who would go on to make Italian fashion history.

Acting on this intuition, the Cesare and Paola Paciotti began designing and producing footwear for now-legendary names such as Gianni Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Romeo Gigli, and Roberto Cavalli.

Building on those early successes, the family brand changed its name from Paris to Cesare Paciotti in 1980 and overhauled its aesthetic, innovating men’s footwear with a bold, highly distinctive style. In 1990, the label launched a pioneering project for its time: its first unisex footwear models.

Soon, the men’s line was joined by a women’s collection. The range achieved instant success thanks to designs catering to seductive individuals who never wish to go unnoticed.

The power of a well-defined, distinctive identity, combined with the uniqueness and exceptional quality of its products, enabled the brand to expand globally. Cesare Paciotti went on to establish itself as a leading player in fashion capitals around the world, including Milan, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, and Dubai.

The iconic dagger, which became the symbol of the brand, will endure in the collective imagination as a statement of identity and courage, and Cesare Paciotti will be remembered for both his seductive style and his extraordinary human generosity.