Silvano Banfi was born into an accessory family in Milan and by an early age was working with some of the finest houses in Europe. By the time he was 18 he was designing and producing for the likes of Gucci, Bally and Gianni Versace. After a professorship at the prestigious Ars Sutoria Institute he arrived in the U.S. in 1994 and honed his talent with Coach, Calvin Klein and Banana Republic. In 2003 he founded a design studio in New York, a comprehensive design and branding practice focusing on footwear and accessories. In 2016 he joined Donald/Pliner as a Creative Director.