Born in Florence, Monica Mei has followed in the creative footsteps of her artistic father, an academic and restorer of Florentine heritage. After completing her studies at the Academy of Fine Arts, she began her career in fashion, collaborating with top Italian and international brands including Armani, Valentino, Christian Lacroix, and Jean-Louis Scherrer across clothing and knitwear.
Her experience in style offices eventually led her to footwear and leather goods design—her true passion. She pursued a Master’s degree in Accessories and won an award for young shoe designers, opening the door to Gucci, where her design journey truly took off. Monica’s career was further enriched by working within the Prada style office and later as Senior Designer at Sergio Rossi (Gucci Group), where her creations contributed to the brand’s global rise.
In 2005, she was appointed Head of Women’s Footwear at Versace by Donatella Versace, further expanding her global vision of luxury. She continued to take on creative leadership roles for brands like Fratelli Rossetti, Max Mara, Tod’s,and Vera Wang, gaining recognition for her distinctive approach.
Over the past year, Monica has also worked as a speaker and trend analyst in several international settings. She was invited to present fashion and footwear trend analyses at events including the CIPEG fair in León, Mexico, and for SATRA in the UK. Her work explores macro trends in fashion and footwear, focusing on atmospheres, historical and cultural references, lifestyle analysis, visual language, and target profiling. She also researches materials, colours,and inspirational imagery to support the creative development of new collections.
During the pandemic, Monica deepened her knowledge in fashion sustainability and circular economy. She now works as a freelance consultant for both Italian and international brands, and collaborates with globally recognised institutions.
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