Rene Caovilla’s Fancy Footwork

Margot black jewel sandals with snake. Photo courtesy of Rene Caovilla.

Rene Caovilla traces a legacy to 1960’s-era Venice, at a time when the opulence of the area’s history was colliding with the sleek sophistication of the mid-century. The designer began to carve out a name for himself as the go-to for opulent evening shoes, and, since then, the label has garnered high-wattage red carpet appearances on everyone from Rihanna to Jennifer Aniston to Kim Kardashian. So extravagant is Caovilla’s modus operandi that there’s even a story about how Harrod’s, the world-famous London department store, once entrusted a live Egyptian cobra to safeguard a pair of the brand’s heels that were embellished with rubies and diamonds. It worked; no shoes, spectators nor serpents were harmed.