Mary J. Blige declared her affection for his shoes in her hit song, "Enough Cryin'." Beyoncé, Rihanna, Heidi Klum, Lindsay Lohan and Alicia Keys all have taken turns wearing down the handmade Italian soles.

That's all the work of a stylist, though. Zanotti gets more flattery out of Hollywood wearing his shoes when they aren't trying to be so Hollywood.

"Gwyneth Paltrow wears (Giuseppe Zanotti shoes) to walk in Rome and London," Zanotti says, just before a public appearance at the Forum Shops Giuseppe Zanotti Design Boutique. "I'm very proud to be part of their real life. ... The part that's more than image."

As a kid, Zanotti used to marvel over nude statues of the female form. Not because of the nudity, but because he thought they were incomplete without a pair of shoes; he wanted to visualize the perfect pair. Today, he strives to create designs that fuse "the product and the legs." In doing so he relies on lightness.

Zanotti, who's often described as the Italian version of George Clooney, picks up a suede knee-high boot to explain. There isn't a clunky characteristic to it. "Lightness is the key to comfort," he says while gently tossing the boot in his hands. "Women like to be light on their shoes."

To make shoes with the features that get women licking their chops these days (prominent platforms, boots of every length and sky-high heels) and still manage to make them feather-light isn't easy. Every stitch is hand-sewn. Every heel is hand-painted. Every jewel is hand-glued -- and all in the "hills of Italy" as the brand boasts.

It's this uncompromising craftsmanship that prevents the designer from considering the lower priced bridge lines and diffused lines so many in the fashion industry have launched and highly profited from. Both would mean a demotion in the look and feel of his shoes. For now, he's happy to be the luxury shoe designer that snubs logos, gimmicks, even an opportunity to make more money -- if it means sacrificing the value of his work.

"My standard of quality is this price point," he says. "It's like art."

The extras

Celebrity crush: Greta Garbo for her courage; Josephine Baker for her creativity

Can't live without: My two iPods

Vacation getaway: Seychelles islands

Wanted to be as a child: Musician (guitar)

Favorite dessert: Green tea ice cream