A Winding Moment: Rene Caovilla Fêtes Five Decades of the Cleo Heel
Leave it to Rene Caovilla to celebrate a milestone for one of fashion’s most fabulous shoes in suitably glitzy style. On Tuesday evening, the Italian luxury footwear label hosted an intimate yet dazzling cocktail soirée at the legendary Chateau Marmont hotel in Los Angeles to commemorate the 50th anniversary of its signature Cleo sandal. With its delicate ankle straps and scintillating details, the sultry Cleo has seduced style icons and red carpet regulars for five decades.
“We wanted to honor this style that has been so important to our maison,” shared Giorgia Caovilla. Indeed, the distinctive Cleo with its coiling contours has become synonymous with the Rene Caovilla brand. For the landmark occasion, a trove of archival Cleos were artfully displayed, charting the style’s evolution from the free-spirited 1970s to the maximalist 2010s. Guests sipped champagne while admiring the plethora of Cleos, resplendent in every possible color, trim and embellishment imagined across the decades. The core DNA remained unchanged – those beguiling crisscross straps – yet each incarnation felt distinctively of its era.
The soiree brought together the Rene Caovilla family’s inner circle of longtime friends, press and influencers. All were bedecked in dazzling Cleos, of course, putting their best strappy sandaled foot forward. Notables included Sophia Culpo, Daisy Marquez and Emira D’Spain, who posed for photos and explored fifty years of Cleo history compiled into coffee table books.
“It’s amazing to see how this style has been interpreted in so many remarkable ways while staying true to its spirit,” commented Ms. Culpo.
Indeed, the enduring allure of the Cleo was evident throughout the evening. Though birthed in 1973, that inaugural strappy style would still turn heads today. The 2023 Cleo may boast fancier embellishments, yet its seductive silhouette remains timeless.
After toasting Cleo’s golden year stateside, Rene Caovilla feted the storied sandal across the pond too. Last September in London, the brand hosted a similar event at Harrod’s showcasing fifty fabulous years of Cleos. The milestone also sparked fervor in Hollywood, with A-listers like Natasha Poly, Taraji P. Henson and Kim Kardashian falling under its spell on 2023’s red carpets.
Leave it to Rene Caovilla to celebrate fifty sensational years of fashion with a sandal that’s forever in vogue. Wherever the next half-century leads, one hopes the Cleo and her bewitching straps will continue entwining around ankles for decades more.
