Diplomat and bon vivant Porfirio Rubirosa was known and loved for his sure sense of style and his cool demeanour. The Swiss firm Rubirosa took its cue from him: what began in 2015 as a project among friends, meant above all to be fun, has grown into a thoroughly professional company that “still knows how to be playful”, says co-founder Flavio Agosti. While the focus was at first on organising events, the label now concentrates on designing and producing sneakers and shoes.
It is hard for a newcomer to make its mark in the fiercely competitive sneaker market. Rubirosa managed it by drawing on the expertise of renowned, internationally active designers. But the brand’s DNA lies above all in other qualities: all sneakers and shoes are made in small, traditional workshops around Venice under fair conditions. The leather comes exclusively from Europe, some models even carry the Bio Suisse label, and the vegetable-dyed inner leather makes for great comfort — even barefoot. A nod to Porfirio Rubirosa, who liked to wear his shoes barefoot, and looked good doing it.
“We use leather because it’s one of the most durable materials there is”, says Flavio Agosti. “Our declared goal is for our customers to wear their Rubirosa shoes for a long time — because durability is, for us, the strongest environmental argument.” And there’s more: the company is climate-neutral and has offset all its emissions since 2020. The sneakers are even climate-positive, since a tree is planted for every pair sold.
The range centres on six models in various colours, all named after women Rubirosa loved. More shoes are to follow — boat shoes lead the way in the 2022 summer collection, which for the first time also includes women’s models. For just as Porfirio Rubirosa loved women, so too does the brand. And what does the typical Rubirosa man look like? “Quality matters to him”, says Agosti. “He is always well and appropriately dressed without ever being flashy; self-assured, he needs no loud brands. He appreciates beautiful products, is open to new things and is a doer.” Sounds like Porfirio Rubirosa, doesn’t it? Good style, after all, is timeless.
This article appeared in MEN issue 1/21 (November 2021).
