DUBAI: Following the death of footwear legend Sergio Rossi due to complications related to COVID-19 on Friday, Jordanian-Romanian footwear designer Amina Muaddi took to social media to post a heartfelt tribute to the designer. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @arabnews.lifestyle “RIP to the legend that Sergio Rossi was and will forever remain,” she wrote in a lengthy statement shared with her 427,000 Instagram followers, revealing that it’s “such a sad day for her, the fashion industry and for women across the globe who he has graced with his creations for decades,” which include the likes of Rihanna, Gwyneth Paltrow and Ariana Grande. “My sincerest condolences to the Rossi family for their loss,” she continued. “When I went to the Sergio Rossi factory in December because I was going to start producing my collection in their factory, I was taken to the museum built in his honor inside the factory,” she recalled. “I felt so much emotion going through his incredible work and looking at the archives that I could barely focus on my meeting. The legacy he left behind is immeasurable. Thank you master, may you rest in peace,” she captioned the series of images of herself donning Sergio Rossi footwear. Tributes poured in for the luxury shoemaker who died aged 84 in the small town of Cesena in central Italy. US fashion influencer Olivia Palermo wrote: ““We lost a true creative force in the accessories world today. My thoughts are with the Rossi family, friends and team at this difficult and unprecedented time.” “Sergio was one of the main forces in Italian manufacture and design. I met him years ago and he was so charming — he contributed so much, he was a major talent and very important,” said famed footwear designer Manolo Blahnik. “He had an incredible flair for what is current, he produced wonderful things. It’s an enormous loss for the shoe industry.” Italy has recorded more deaths from coronavirus than any other country in the world, with 13,915 fatalities as of Thursday, Reuters reported. Rossi was born in 1935 in San Mauro Pascoli, Italy, where he founded his brand. He remained at the helm of his label until 2004, when it was sold to Kering. Shoemaking remained a vital part of Rossi’s life, with his son Gianvito Rossi launching his own footwear collection in 2006. “Addio Maestro,” Gianvito posted on Instagram with a picture of his father after the news of his death.