How archive fashion rediscovered the Zanotti

«Don't step on my damn Zanottis!» sings Nicki Minaj in I'm Legit, a song released way back in 2012 that today still boasts unparalleled notoriety on social media, with more than 300 thousand videos on TikTok. Just as Giuseppe Zanotti shoes have inspired rappers and hip-hop artists to write their songs, Zanotti trainers and their distinctive Zip were born out of the designer's lifelong admiration for the world of music, a detail that takes on greater value today as it is strongly linked to a vintage aesthetic. 

While the new generation of stars and influencers are intent on slaying the new GZ94s, like Jake Marcelo and Aurora amongst the skyscrapers of New York, Kanaan Pitan in the streets of London and Federico Spinas in the streets of Milan, archive fashion enthusiasts are dusting off images of artists and celebrities who have graced the world's most important stages with the signature, such as Kanye, Madonna, Justin Bieber, 50 cent, Travis Scott, Jay-Z, and Rihanna. Reminding their audiences of the most iconic collaborations, acclaimed creators like LilJupiter, Sunny and Archived Dreams trace the history of Zanotti trainers and heels through moments that seem to have happened only a few years ago, but which now represent fashion history. And if in the past they were paired with low-waisted skinny jeans, mesh sheath dresses, wide-brimmed hats and skin-tight leather jackets, today Gen Z has fun styling Zanotti shoes in baggy jeans, smart suits and parachute pants, to preserve the modern yet nostalgic spirit that has made these shoes as iconic today as they were yesterday. 

The Zanotti collaborations that have achieved great popularity in the world of archival fashion today are - not surprisingly - all part of the rap world: the first one in 2012 with Kanye West, a pair of stilettos decorated with pearl necklaces wrapped in particular designs, followed in 2015 by a pair of stilettos with eye-catching gold wings, total white or silver in reference to Ye's album released that summer, Cruel Summer; finally, the trainers created by Zanotti in 2015 and inspired by Kid Cudi's style, a pair of red high-tops characterised by large, super-soft Velcro straps and the addition of the designer's signature in metal on the tongue. Discover more at giuseppezanotti.com.