It's called Ginosa, it's a loafer in black velvet that has an ancient olive tree embroidered on the upper. The shoe was created by Yuko Matsuzaki, Japanese shoe designer, with her brand Seishou, together with the Apulian designer Angelo Inglese. It is a dedication to the traditional plants of Puglia, affected by the terrible Xylella, the bacterium that threatens to make them extinct. Matsuzaki designed the model as early as December 2022 and presented it during Pitti Immagine 2023.
The millenary trees that embellish the landscape of Puglia inspire the design: from the very particular profile that characterizes the thinking olive tree of Ginosa, the city from which the stylist Angelo Inglese originates, to the one portrayed in the emblem of Specchia, a town in Salento in which this new model is handcrafted according to traditional manufacturing techniques.
In this way Matsuzaki and Inglese wanted to show their support and create awareness around the phenomenon of Xylella, creating the exclusive model "Angelo Inglese by Seishou".
“The shoe contains the international design that characterizes Seishou and the typicality of the Apulian territory – explains the designer -. The result is a unique shoe of its kind, which best reflects the values of the capsule collection resulting from this collaboration".
Before designing the capsule, Matsuzaki and Inglese visited places and beauties of Puglia: "Yuko's sensitive soul for nature and beauty and my love for the area could not ignore a serious problem like the one that risks wiping out thousands of olive tree plants– adds Inglese -. Hence the idea of presenting a designer shoe with an olive tree embroidered on the upper”.
Olive trees are an integral part of the Apulian identity and culture, famous all over the world, and the importance of their conservation is recognized not only by the inhabitants of the region, but also by all those who have been able to know and appreciate the beauty of this land .
Even the British actress Helen Mirren, Oscar winner in 2007 for her performance in "The Queen" and citizen of Puglia where she has lived for several years, spoke on the subject of Xylella. During the film festival “Ora! Fest" of Monopoli, which focused on environmental sustainability, the actress presented herself showing a sheet with the inscription "Save the olives" reiterating her commitment to research to combat this phytopathology.
