Room of Anne Klein and Andrea Pfister, Footwear Museum of Villa Foscarini Rossi

The Museum displays over 1500 examples of luxury women’s shoes, dating from 1947 to the present day. The models were designed and produced by Rossimoda for the most prestigious international designers. A precious collection of nineteenth century Venetian footwear is also on show. The exhibition traces the progress of the company over the years, testifying to the local skills and knowledge of the Riviera del Brenta shoemaking district.

The Anne Klein collection
Produced from 1968 to 1979.

Anne Klein is the brand founded by Hanna Golofski (1921-1974), who is internationally considered as the pioneer of feminine sportswear thanks to her women’s practical sporty clothes suitable for every time and occasions. In 1968, the designer created the Anne Klein & Co. When Hanna Golofski died, the brand was led by Donna Karan, Louis Dell’Olio and Richard Tyler.

Produced from 1968 to 1979. Anne Klein is the brand of the American designer Hanna Golofski (1921-1974), who has been considered the pioneer of sportswear, creating practical sportswear for modern women, suitable for every hour and every occasion of the day . In 1968 the designer founded Anne Klein & Co. Upon the death of its founder, the direction of Anne Klein was taken on by Donna Karan. After Donna Karan, in 1984, the direction passed to Louis Dell’Olio until 1993. Currently it is up to Richard Tyler to continue to renew the spirit and style of Anne Klein

Andrea Pfister collection
Andrea Pfister’s shoes are essentially Italian in their craftsmanship and attention to detail. But there is an element of lightness and irreverence about his creations not usually associated with the traditional shoemaker. He improvises on themes—starry skies, the sea, music, circuses, and Las Vegas—designing shoes such as Martini Dry, with cocktail glass heels supporting slices of lemon. He uses applique motifs, so that when a sandal is called Jazz, it really does have a snakeskin saxophone on the upper.

My shoes are feminine, sexy, full of humor and perfectly made. But a shoe cannot only be pretty—it has also to fit, not hurt. Colors, materials and clear lines are very important to me. I love flat heels and very high heels.

“If a beautiful woman’s feet hurt, she becomes ugly.” This is a typically robust statement from a designer whose opulent creations have been variously described as frivolous, witty, and even in dubious taste. Yet the success of his creations depends on the combination of proportion and line with comfort: “I always think shoes should be very feminine and sexy. Compromises are often necessary. It’s easy to make wonderful looking shoes, but they also have to fit and be comfortable.”

Footwear Museum of Villa Foscarini Rossi
The Rossimoda museum of footwear is located in the main villa of the seventeenth-century architectural complex Villa Foscarini Rossi in Stra along the Riviera del Brenta in the province of Venice. The museum deals with footwear and costume history and collects a collection of over 1700 models of luxury women’s shoes, produced by the shoe factory of the same name in collaboration with high fashion houses.

The museum is one of the few Italian museums dedicated to footwear. It is reviewed in the repertoires of corporate museums and considered relevant in its specificity .

It preserves more than 1700 models, the majority of which testify to the company’s collaboration with stylists from all over the world. .

Prototypes of the company’s collaborations with international fashion houses, from Dior to Yves Saint Laurent, from Givenchy to Ungaro, to Fendi, Christian Lacroix, Pucci, Calvin Klein, Porsche and others. Pieces representative of the company’s history, the historical period and the social context or because they are remarkable from a technical and artisan point of view are exhibited.

The minimalism of American designers such as Donna Karan, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Porsche is represented on the ground floor, while the products of Mediterranean designers such as Emilio Pucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Dior, Roger Vivier, Fendi, Lacroix are visible on the upper floor., Céline and Kenzo, having more space given the longevity of their collaborations with the company.

To the footwear models are added prints, sketches and sculptures from the private art collection of Luigino Rossi: the original sketches by Christian Lacroix and Karl Lagerfeld, the reproductions of the prints by Andy Warhol, and the cartes de vœux by Yves Saint Laurent.