Tod’s introduces Italian Diaries, a new campaign that revisits the brand’s signature Gommino through the lens of today’s creative youth. Set against the hills of Tuscany and photographed by Oliver Hadlee Pearch, the story unfolds at Villa Talamo, where five young artists explore the connection between style, personal heritage, and Italian identity.
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The cast, Ella Bleu Travolta, Lennon Gallagher, Stella Banderas, Roberto Rossellini, and Leo Gassmann, brings together diverse creative lineages rooted in cinema, music, and literature. Tod’s invites them not only to wear the Gommino, but to reflect on how design, comfort, and culture evolve across generations.
While each of these artists represents a unique perspective, the campaign builds a shared language through gesture, texture, and mood. Travolta describes the project as “an iconic story,” while Gallagher calls the Gommino “a perfect representation of Italian design, luxurious and functional.” Their presence bridges old and new, pulling forward elements of familiarity while shaping a refreshed outlook.
Photographs shift between vivid still-life compositions and black-and-white portraits. Color emphasizes the play in material, suede and calf leather in yellow, orange, and sky blue, while monochrome shots anchor the campaign in clarity and confidence. In short video features, each participant moves through the villa with casual elegance, offering a glimpse into their personal rhythms.
More than a campaign about a shoe, Italian Diaries proposes a way of seeing. The Gommino, originally introduced as a driving loafer, becomes a vehicle for quiet self-expression. It remains centered in Tod’s design philosophy, versatile, tactile, and unmistakably Italian, but here, it responds to the tempo of a new generation.
The creative direction draws from the idea that Italian lifestyle isn’t a fixed aesthetic. Instead, it takes shape through daily rituals, movement, conversation, ease. Whether lounging in a sunlit room or stepping onto gravel pathways, the five talents fold the Gommino into their routines. They reflect the shift from formality to flow, showing how design adapts without losing its essence.
The Gommino’s signature pebble sole and pared-back silhouette hold their place in Tod’s catalog of design codes. What changes in Italian Diaries is the energy: the shoe now appears in vivid shades, expanding its character while keeping its function intact. It stays light, tactile, and grounded in materials that nod to both luxury and comfort.
Quotes from the cast reinforce the theme of continuity without nostalgia. Stella Banderas says the campaign felt like “stepping into a legacy that has defined Italian style… but also feels cool, relevant, and modern.” Roberto Rossellini reflects on the collaborative process on set, calling it “an amazing experience” tied to a bigger story in motion.
Tod’s doesn’t treat heritage as something to protect behind glass. Instead, Italian Diaries shows how familiarity can evolve, how symbols gain new meaning when passed from one generation to another. With this project, the Gommino steps into the present, not as a museum piece, but as a part of daily life.
Launching globally on April 4, the campaign runs across print, digital, and Tods.com, offering a contemporary portrait of Italian design through voices that speak to the now.
