Designer Profile
Dorino Della Valle, Filippo Della Valle
Diego Della Valle is the elder son of Dorino Della Valle and grandson of Filippo Della Valle. Filippo started his shoemaking business in the 1920s, which Diego expanded into the now famous Tod's brand.
In his younger days, Diego studied Law in the University of Bologna having got that academic degree in 1975, conciliating since 2000 the career and the marketing of the family's shoemaking business.
Even during his younger days, Diego was business savvy: Diego used the power of celebrity to popularise his product, such an example was to have once persuaded his friend Luca di Montezemolo, who was a protégé of the then Fiat boss Gianni Agnelli, to present Agnelli with a pair of Tod's driving moccasins – the lawyer got Agnelli to wear Tod's shoes when attending Juventus football matches, which were widely televised; this product placement prompted a spike in sales.
