“Women are capable of everything.”
Arianna Casadei, the general manager of her family business, grew up hearing those words from her grandfather Quinto, the late founder of Casadei. He saw the women in his life “juggling five tasks at a time.”
“He always said that he founded the company because my grandma had enough courage for the both of them,” said Arianna, a third-generation family member. “Therefore, gender has never been an issue for us. The majority of our top management is female. I understand firsthand the struggle to balance work and life with family, kids and personal time.”
Quinto, who died last year, and his son, Cesare, Casadei’s creative director (and Arianna’s father) also taught the younger Casadei the importance of valuing every employee.
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“Ours is a family business, and since day one, every single person’s job made the difference. The shoe business is still very artisanal, and my story passes literally through the hands of each craftsman since 1958, generation by generation,” she said.
Arianna honed her skills in a variety of departments within the company before taking the lead. She also developed her experience working for other fashion brands, among them Alberta Ferretti and retailer LuisaViaRoma.
During her tenure at Casadei, she has pushed the brand into new territory, developing the e-commerce business and taking it into the metaverse through an innovative NFT launch last year.
“I’m proud to have overcome my initial [anxiety about] what I could bring to the table, and am creating my own path and vision,” she said.
The executive also took the helm at a time when the professional landscape has undergone dramatic change.
“I think this hybrid area has opened the possibility of digitalization,” she said. “We have weekly meetings to have everyone on the same page, and up to speed with company developments. I still love in person catch-ups and try to have them regularly.”
