Adiviar's Abdel Louaguef Transforms Shoes into Gold Jewelry of Resilience

Abdel Louaguef, founder of the luxury shoe brand Adiviar, creates handmade shoes adorned with 24-karat gold, produced in Italy and inspired by French elegance. The brand is a tribute to his mother, who battled breast cancer, and to all women facing similar struggles. Louaguef's journey began in Parisian department stores, where he trained at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, then worked at Versace Couture, Dolce & Gabbana, and spent eight years at Christian Dior as a shoe ambassador. Adiviar's designs incorporate gold leaf from Parisian monuments like the Opéra, Pont Alexandre III, and Bastille, along with calf leather, Calais lace, and symbols like the fleur de lys and Napoleon coin. Colors carry meaning: black with lace for sensuality, gold and champagne for softness, and green for rebirth. Production occurs in a family-run Italian manufacturer, in small series and custom sizes 35 to 42, with eco-friendly packaging and EU-controlled processes. The shoes are exclusively available in Paris. Louaguef's story was featured on the RFI podcast '100% création' on August 2, 2026.