Cover Story
Giaborghini’s Barbara Borghini on feminine power, artisanal craftsmanship and the pursuit of the perfect shoe
Creating for the woman who is “bold, optimistic, extremely curious and not afraid to dare”
5 Minute Read
If you’ve ever felt the way that a well-crafted, reliable and rollicking pair of heels can completely alter your mood on a workday, or before a special event, you’ll know how vital they are in harnessing your most confident self. Barbara Borghini is the Florentine entrepreneur at the helm of artisanal Italian footwear label Giaborghini. Her work is quite literally in the name of elevating powerful and creative women to their fullest potential, and most stylish selves.
Buoyed by bold femininity and the women that inspire her, Barbara built Giaborgini as an ode to her daughter in 2016. Since then, her meticulously-made loafers, flawless platforms and sophisticated stilettos have been celebrated across all of fashion’s greatest mastheads and worn by dazzling It Girls.
Above all else, flawless Italian craftmsanship is at the fore of Giaborghini’s design
Above all else, flawless Italian craftmsanship is at the fore of Giaborghini’s design, allowing a pair of power shoes to last the distance, the dance floor, and the first dates of any daring modern woman. Here, we speak with Barbara herself to revisit a time before Giaborghini, the power of female connection, and the artful creation of a Giaborghini pair. Step right up.
Barbara, welcome to the Harrolds Journal. May we ask where in the world you are right now, and what you’ve been up to in the last week (of both work and life)?
I just got back from my beloved Sardinia, a place where I fully recharged and where the sea is crystal clear. I am now back in Florence, working on the next collection with the studio team and the artisans.
Why did you choose to name your label after your daughter Ginevra? How did you draw the label’s name from hers?
Ginevra, Gia is her nickname, is the most important gift life gave to me. She is always in my mind. Giaborghini is a lifetime project, that means truly a lot to me so the choice was natural.
Barbara Borghini
Barbara Borghini
In a highly-competitive and saturated market, why did you have the desire to start a footwear label?
Shoes are impulsive. They represent an instinct in a woman, and a pulsion she has for something she designs. It is visceral and cerebral at the same time. She will never have enough; it is the way I feel and all the women I know and I collaborate with.
How has Giaborghini evolved in the last seven years? What has been your greatest accomplishment to date, if you can choose just one?
The biggest accomplishment is moment I am living now. I’ve built the team I’ve always looked for, made of passionate and creative people that share the same vision. The brand is fully growing and we are opening showrooms in Paris and soon in Milan, achieving our objectives harmoniously. Our community is expanding, and always new ideas are coming. This is what I find more and more exciting every day. We started seven years ago and we were a small collective then, but today we are collaborating with Pernille, Rosie, creative personalities and industry professionals that make our team bigger and stronger.
Female empowerment is a core value of the Giaborghini brand. In what ways are you cultivating female talent and supporting women through fashion?
Since I was little, I was always inspired by women. I loved spending time with my friends, chitchatting about everything, and I still do. Their capacity of adaptation, organisation and strength is admirable and precious. I love collaborating with women, brainstorming about design and then bringing the sketch to life through artisanal hands. It’s so special to see the evolution of it. I am curious about their differences and unique styles and I try to embrace them all.
Who is the intended wearer of Giaborghini shoes? What is she (or he) like? What do they embody and what energy do they radiate?
Bold, optimistic, extremely curious and not afraid to dare. Always looking for newness.
Since I was little, I was always inspired by women
Can you talk us through the design and manufacturing process involved in producing a pair of Gia shoes, from start to finish?
Everything starts form an inspirational image, a sensation that it conveys, and a concept that we want to develop. Our head designer Miguel and his team start sketching and brainstorming on paper first. Then, together we pick the ones we want to see materialised. So, from sketch, we move to prototype. With the artisans, we start choosing the heel, the sole, the different materials and different colors to bring the sketch to life. The artisans guide us on aesthetic and comfort, without ever compromising on either or. Once the prototype is ready, we look at it and try it on. If once materialised it conveys what we felt in the brainstorming phase, it is our shoe!
How important are materials and craftsmanship when it comes to building the ultimate ‘power heels’?
They are fundamental. High standards always demand the best in every details, so from the raw materials to manufacture and final touch, everything is sourced and held to the finest standards.
Favourite Gia Borghini pair of the moment? And how you’re styling them?
A pair form the Ski Capsule dropping in November: a fluffy boot perfect for the mountain but also for the coolest city looks.
In what ways has your Italian heritage influenced the designer you are today?
In the constant, never-ending research of beauty. We are a lucky country, everything that surrounds us is aesthetically pleasant.
And who would you owe your creativity or inspiration to, if anyone?
I owe it to my grandmother, “nonna Assunta”. She was obsessed with beauty and what could be the most beautiful, from interior design to tableware, clothing and destinations. As Oscar Wilde said, “she had the simplest taste, she was always satisfied with the best”.
Where can we find you dining or unwinding in your spare time?
I love to have friends and family home, enjoying a good dinner and wine and hunting for interior design pieces.
And what are you reading/listening to/consuming currently that we should know about?
I am reading “Pride and Prejudice”, a classic. I read it when I was little, but I thought I should read it again as I didn’t give it the attention it deserved back then. I am in jazz music phase at the moment, and I enjoy it with a good glass of Chablis.
