EXCLUSIVE: Inside Sergio Rossi’s Milan Fashion Week Collaboration with Artist Richard Zinon

When Paul Andrew made his debut at Sergio Rossi back in February, the creative director had a distinct mission for the brand: To combine art, craft and technology.

Now, for his spring ’26 presentation, Andrew is embracing the art side of the equation. Today at Milan Fashion Week, the designer will unveil a collaboration with artist Richard Zinon, who has created an installation of canvases, turning Sergio Rossi‘s showroom into an art gallery.

The creatives met through Cadogan Gallery after Andrew moved to Milan — and a new partnership took flight. “It started out with some smaller pieces, and then I was asking him to create something very ambitious,” Andrew recalled. “The paintings are of massive scale, and the shoes are taking inspiration from Richard’s extraordinary gestural brush strokes. The paint itself, in certain cases, is very thick. There’s this incredible texture and dimension to the work, which I thought could be interesting to mimic with shoes that follow the color palette.”

While the project marked Zinon’s first project with a footwear brand, the artist said he quickly realized how the two worlds intersected. “Now to see the space together with the designs, it’s really come together beautifully,” the artist said.

Andrew’s new collection centers on sculptural designs, from wedges with cutout arches to flared heels and cone bases that fit firmly into the architectural theme.

One standout style, with its elongated pointed nipped toe, is crafted in carbon fiber and galvanized in a car factory. “These curvaceous, feminine forms and sinuous lines are coming from the artwork in an abstract way,” Andrew said.

Another unique look is crafted from wood that was repurposed from a fallen forest in the northern part of Milan — and then combined with a galvanized chrome heel and embossed ostrich. “You see the form is sort of mimicking what is happening with a painting,” Andrew said.

The Serpentine is inspired by Zaha Hadid’s “Elastika,” and the wedge features sweeping, curvaceous cutouts. It’s also offered in metallic chrome, gold and in suede pavé with Swarovski rhinestones.

The archives once again served as a major inspiration for the designer, and Andrew reworked wovens and an archival slingback for the new season.

Loafers and ballerinas also take on a new softness for spring,