De Siena, a new-age Swiss luxury brand based in Zurich, draws inspiration from Italian heritage of fine shoemakers and uses the finest of Italian leather and craftsmanship, to make beautiful shoes.

De Siena – Magali Shoes

Globally, Italy is known for its fabulous shoemakers, a highly skilled group of craftsmen who cut, mold, and craft some of the finest shoes in the world using unconventional fabrics and forms.

The latest entrant in this shoe haven is De Siena, a new player in the luxury footwear industry. The brand is based in Zurich, but derives its name, and inspiration, from Siena, a beautiful Tuscan town. Run by its founder, Francesco Lorenzi, and a small network of talented individuals, external production partners and designers, the Swiss shoe brand, which uses 100 per cent Made-in-Italy leather and materials, is looking at both offline and online models to reach out to luxury customers across the world.

De Siena — Milan Fashion Week FW2013

So inspired is the brand by Italy that even its logo reprises the spirit of old noble families in Tuscany. Its herald, in fact, represents their values: 100 per cent Italian, handmade, with no quality compromise.

Lorenzi, who is also the CEO of De Siena Shoes, created the brand in the worst financial market of the century. The shoes, conceived to look sensual and sophisticated, are made of soft washed leather. The range includes dizzy platforms made of light and elegant grey wood, either covered with white streaks or weaved in different leather types: pearled, but also patent leather and suede.

Lorenzi has said in the interview that he took the bold steps to create a new luxury shoe brand simply because he knew the market had vital holes which needed to be filled. De Siena Shoes is a part of his family business that has provided the highest quality leathers, silks and other materials to the world’s most prestigious brands in the past. He has access to the best raw materials in the world.

De Siena Amy Ankle Boots, Paris Fashion Week FW2013

The brand’s Summer 2013 collection was in a palette of bold colours: black leather matched powder pink satin, glossy strawberry with black, and orange with pink or fuchsia. The shoes’ most recognizable feature was a dazzling 13 cm high heel.

Over the last year, De Siena has added over 23,000 fans on Facebook in Asia alone, revealing how open this new luxury market is to experimentation. Targeting early adopters has proven to be very case for De Siena Shoes. To assist consumers and shops alike are “Discovering De Siena Shoes”, a series of public and private events across the region.