Maurizio Celin has designed shoes for companies as diverse as Nine West, Costume National, Renée Lezard, Sergio Rossi, Santoni, Enzo Angiolini and Franco Sarto. Though he has a degree in advertising design from Padova, he realized early on it was the design part of the equation that captured his imagination. So he shifted his focus to shoe design and enrolled at Strá Academy where he graduated Cum Laude. In 1985, Maurizo set up his own studio where he has been designing best-selling footwear ever since.

Marc Jacobs was born in New York City on April 9, 1963. After graduating from the High School of Art and Design in 1981, he entered Parsons School of Design. While at Parson, Jacobs designed his first collection of hand-knit sweaters commissioned and sold by Barbara Weiser under the label "Marc Jacobs for Marc and Barbara" for the Weiser Family's well-known stores, Charivari.

As a design student at Parsons, Jacbos was the recipient of some of the school's highest honors: the Perry Ellis Gold Thimble, the Chester Weinberg Gold Thimble, and Design Student of the Year. On the spring evening in 1984 that Jocobs showed his senior collection and was presented with these awards, Robert Duffy, an executive with Ruben Thomas, Inc., was in the audience. After seeing Jacobs' collection he called the next day to inquire about having him develop a ready-to-wear collection for Ruben Thomas, Inc. under the Sketchbook label.