Peek into any glamour girl's closet and you'll pinpoint a pair of Giuseppe Zanotti shoes piled among the Louboutins, Pradas and Choos. Fans say his heels are sexy, innovative, expertly made -- with bling, to boot.

Shoemaking is a long tradition in Zanotti's hometown of San Mauro Pascoli, Italy. The son of seaside ice cream shop owners, Zanotti worked in cobbling and had no formal education.

``I do have 14 years of working experience as a designer in other factories where I appreciated the importance of melting technique and style together,'' says Zanotti, who was at Saks, Dadeland Mall Saturday to host a Key to the Cure kickoff celebration.

Before starting his eponymous line in 1994, Zanotti worked with several luxury houses such as Thierry Mugler, Byblos, Missoni, Roberto Cavalli and Vera Wang.

With a client roster that reads like the pages of UsWeekly -- Rihanna, Katy Perry, Beyoncé, Whitney Houston -- and 50 boutiques, Zanotti designs for those with self-confidence: ``The Giuseppe Zanotti woman is authentic -- she's not a fashion victim. The victims are those who are enchanted by her beauty and personality.''

-- MARIA TETTAMANTI