Diego Della Valle

“La Scala is easily one of the top 10 symbols of Italy's cultural excellence. That makes it vital to our global image. Closing it would send a message to the rest of the world that Italy doesn't care.”

“I remember perfectly my first trip to New York, when I was on the bridge between Brooklyn and Manhattan, when I saw the skyscrapers. It was like an incredible dream.”

“Saks is one of the temples of good-quality products in America. The Saks shop in New York, for me, is the most interesting department store in America.”

“Tod's customers - whatever their nationality - want the very best things in life.”

“I remember seeing the Colosseum for the first time when I was a young boy. It left a lasting impression on me.”

“Almost everyone wears rubber on their feet these days, but there was a time when it was considered cheap. Luxury shoes had leather soles, which were rigid and heavy.”

“Sure, Tod's makes shoes and bags. But we make them using leather, which is a living substance to me. And behind each shoe and bag, which in itself may be attractive and useful and comfortable to carry and wear, there is this Italian spirit, this Italian dream.”

“I grew up watching my father work, and learning from him what good quality is. I took from him the passion to create beautiful and exclusive products. He also taught me to persevere if I want to reach my goals.”

“I was looking for a name with an old English sound, very easy to pronounce in every language and easy to remember. At the beginning I used J. P. Tod's, but then in 1999 it was shortened since too many people were asking who was Mr. J. P. Tod's.”

“Italian style is a natural attitude. It is about a life of good taste. It doesn't have to be expensive. Simple but with good taste. Luxury is possible to buy. Good taste is not.”

“The boom for luxury goods is unending. There are people who never have to worry about whether they can afford something they like. In one part of the world or another there will always be someone with money to spend on luxury.”

“There is a time to be chic and sportive, there is a time to be sexy and feminine, but it's hard to find the balance, and Tod's has done that.”

“I am a liberal. I want everyone to be well.”

“You try to be young, maybe you like to have a few toys, but it's not the most important thing in life.”

“We must never lose sight of the fact that shoes go on the feet, and if people can't walk in them, they are worthless. Fashion designers who are not specialists need the help of technical people. We help decide the collections together.”

“My father taught me respect for quality as well as a sense of dignity - great values as we face a world going in a different direction. I try to teach my children to stay close to the real things.”

“Of course China is an important new market for Tod's, and of course we need to succeed commercially. But I believe the way to do that is not to aim to deliver results in the short term by thoughtless expansion, but instead to explain to the Chinese people what our brand is really about.”

“I worked in the family business, which was my father's shoe making company that he had inherited from his father, and that led me to become interested in what could be achieved by a great Italian brand. That became my ambition as a young man.”

“I come from a family with a long tradition in shoemaking, and I still live in a region famous for its shoemakers. It is getting harder and harder to find skilled workers. There are no professional training institutes, so we have to train our own employees. And an apprenticeship takes three years.”

“When it is possible, I choose to have a quiet life.”