The Casadei label was founded in 1958 by Quinto and Flora Casadei. Quinto Casadei—still at the helm of the footwear and leather facilities of S. Mauro Pascoli in the province of Forli—proved strong and true when he decided to expand his small crafts laboratory, in which he had already started to produce dream footwear of sophisticated workmanship.

This entrepreneurial and pioneering spirit enabled Casadei to go beyond Italy’s borders in long-ago 1964, already a vocation for anticipating styles and trends was transmitted in its entirety to the second-generation top management, Cesare Casadei, who joined his father Quinto’s company in 1987.

Today, Cesare is the creative Director of Casadei, while his cousin Fabrizio manages the maison’s financial affairs. Season after season, Cesare renews the family company’s DNA, crafting shoes for “original, self-confident and alternative women, yet always and inevitably the protagonists of the galaxy in which they live.” Whose key feature are true objects of precious design, 100% Made in Italy from exclusive and hand-finished materials, imprinted with skilled workmanship.

And it is precisely this constructive, Made in Italy know-how that is still the vital essence of this dynamic company, firmly anchored to its roots of manufacturing excellence, always looking to the future, fully immersed in the global present, in an ongoing osmosis between tradition and modernity.

Casadei currently exports 70% of production, mainly to the United States, Russia, Japan, the Arab Emirates and Europe. It can count not only on a well-diffused outlet network in the world, but also prestigious own-brand stores, as the renewed Milanese flagship store in Via Sant’Andrea.

The advertising image has always had a great importance in the history of Casadei. The Casadei advertising campaign have been realised by the greatest and most high-flying creative minds in the international arena—from the illustrator François Berthoud to the photographers Mario Sorrenti, Javier Vallhonrat, Nick Knight, Mario Testino to Raymond Meier.

Casadei celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2008 with the publication of a book presented during Milan women’s fashion week. The event will be held at the Triennale di Milano, where one can view the photographies of Ellen von Unwerth which portray the Limited Edition created by Cesare Casadei to celebrate the anniversary of his maison.