New York Fashion Week’s Spring 2025 shows are under way—and we’re taking you backstage with us. Paul Andrew kicked off Day 4 with a calming presentation in Chelsea. This season, the heartthrob designer’s chic lineup of flats, heels, and sandals is inspired by new beginnings. It’s a fitting inspo, since he’s just been named the new creative director for Sergio Rossi. Below, we caught up with Paul to chat heel heights, staying inspired, and the 4-1-1 on his new job!
What inspired your Spring 2025 collection?
Thinking about spring and new beginnings. I just also started as Sergio Rossi’s new creative director, so that’s one new beginning. But with this collection, there’s a lot of work with flowers and the way that they’re opening. There’s one that’s this enormous handmade silk flower that’s made in Milan, and then another one that’s embroidered flowers with Swarovski beads and organza flowers made in India. [There’s a] real focus on wearability. The heels have this very sculptural quality in a lot of cases.
Do you take in customer feedback when designing new collections?
I’m really thinking about the consumer and what she wants in this complicated moment. Heels have definitely come lower. There’s much more focus on lower, more wearable heel heights, but still trying to maintain the fantasy. I mean, this [shoe] is all hand-woven raffia that is frayed on the edges. We’ve developed this raffia with a great mill in Italy, and you’ll see the whole insole is woven with the raffia also, and then it’s accentuated with this zipper detail that is now part of the signature DNA of the brand.
How do you stay inspired when designing footwear—it doesn’t change a lot each year!
I’m so lucky that I still live part of the time in New York. Now I’m in Milan, also. But New York is so inspiring. Women on the streets of this city are such an inspiration because they’re ever-changing and ever-moving, like the city itself. I find that even feeds me. I understand right now we’re definitely in a slingback moment. If you look on the street at what women are wearing, it’s gone into that direction. It’s not about a pump or a strappy stiletto sandal—it’s all about a low slingback.
You were just named Sergio Rossi’s new creative director. How are you balancing designing for them & your own brand?
Well, what I’m doing for Sergio, which no one’s seen yet because we haven’t shown anything, that’s very much related to the integral DNA of that brand. There’s an extraordinary archive that I’m working with, whereas my own brand is coming from myself and the now decade-long back catalog of work that I’ve created that continues to evolve and change.
How did that role come about? Did they call you?
I think that they’d seen that since relaunching my collection after Ferragamo, it’s had a pretty big success—especially in Asia and the United States. I think they were very keen to develop their business in those regions, and they got in touch. Voila!
Are you going to keep Paul Andrew running while you’re at Sergio Rossi, or will it take a backseat?
Absolutely! That’s a really important thing for me to do.
What are your NYFW plans? Are you going to lots of shows?
I’ve been to a few shows already for friends who I wanted to support. I was at Jason Wu’s show yesterday, and Bach Mai, and Prabal Gurung. But I’m trying to keep a low profile.
Do you have any Fashion Week rituals?
I just try to catch up on sleep. That never seems to be possible in my life now, managing two brands! But I had a good eight hours last night, so I’m feeling energized for today.
Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on all the latest fashion news and juicy industry gossip.
