“There aren’t many brands out there that are redefining what ‘luxury’ means, to really focus on styling, quality and how it’s made. With us you are not just paying for a logo. This is the best sneaker in the world.”
A former investment banker, Buscemi started his career in footwear by working for brands such as DC Shoes and Oliver Peoples before starting the brand Gourmet with fellow sneaker fan Rob Heppler. His love for trainers, he says, goes as far back as his childhood in Long Island, New York.
“Growing up in New York meant that we were almost forced into fashion. I grew up in an area where there were different cultures so I was influenced by so many things. The biggest part was what you were wearing. It was always about the right polo shirt, the best jeans and of course your sneakers. I bought my first pair at the age of six and it stuck,” says Buscemi.
By the time he was in his mid-20s, he had more than 600 pairs. “It’s now become a disease.”
When it came time to launch Buscemi, he had a clear idea of what he wanted. He immediately travelled to Civitanova Marche in Italy, where some of the best shoes in the world are made. There he met a manufacturer that worked with brands such as Chanel and produced 600 pairs of what is now Buscemi’s signature style, the 100mm, a mid-top featuring an oversized handle, padlock and luggage tag that was “inspired by famous handbags”.
The shoes were distributed to 10 retailers around the world and immediately sold out. “The market was asking for it. Yes, Gucci and Prada already had sneakers but it was always done in a sports way. No one really had the mindset to do it in a luxury way and make them in the finest factories in the world,” he says.
Referring to the irony of high fashion taking elements from US street culture, Buscemi adds: “These brands stole from my [New York] culture, so I was ready to take them back and recreate them in an authentic way.”
Three years later and Buscemi is as coveted as it is exclusive. Every pair is handmade
in Italy and takes up to 24 hours to complete thanks to intricate details such as hand-painted
edges, 18-carat-gold-plated hardware and hand sewn leather laces. The materials are sourced
from the finest tanneries in Europe and include everything from leather to exotics in
colours ranging from vibrant red to classic black.
While quality remains at the heart of the brand, it’s those stylish details that make them
stand apart from competitors.
“Styling for me will always come from classics, whether it’s an Italian basketball shoe or
moccasin. We love the idea of classic mixed with a little of technology and luxury. Like a
well made suit, it’s about jazz,” he says. “We want to be stylish but we want to have our point of
view. If you get it great – if you don’t, you don’t.”
Fortunately for Buscemi many people get it, so much so that the brand launched a
women’s collection three seasons ago after model Jourdan Dunn was spotted wearing a
pair. While their first style was a woman’s version of the 100mm, this season they are
launching more silhouettes including a slip-on and sneaker boot.
Also new for spring are men’s styles that incorporate a more sporty element such as a
Vibram sole, which is favoured by marathon runners and appears on a chic pair of
moccasins. The luxe factor is still ever present – the Gladiator, for example, features hand
stitching and a leather fringe studded with 18-carat gold pins, while the 125mm comes with an
elaborate gold cage around the ankles. Buscemi has also created an exclusive collection
of limited-edition styles for local retailer I.T in Hong Kong.
For next season, the designer has big ambitions to expand the product line – they already have
small leather goods and backpacks – while a free-standing boutique in New York is in the works.
“We are taking it day by day. We are not in the business of putting ourselves in a box
– we don’t follow trends, and will continue designing from a nostalgic place.
If we are eventually known as making the best sneakers in world, then I will be happy,” says Buscemi.
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