Luxury Footwear Wunderkind Matthew Chevallard Picks His Favorite Works From Artnet Galleries

Matthew Chevallard, courtesy of Richard Bencosme.

Matthew Chevallard has been a collector since childhood, starting with Oakley sunglasses and soccer jerseys and evolving to sneakers and art. When he was just 19, he founded Del Toro, a luxury footwear brand specializing in shoes and accessories made in his native Italy.

Through Del Toro, Chevallard developed a strong connection with the art world, releasing a variety of collaborations with artists including Daniel Arsham, Rob Pruitt, Katherine Bernhardt, and Richard Woods. He sold Del Toro after 14 years and, in 2019, Chevallard launched two new luxury brands, Blu Scarpa and Concetto Limone.

In 2017, while working in tandem on his footwear ventures, Chevallard founded his Miami gallery The Office. to showcase emerging artists such as Thrush Holmes, Adam Rabinowitz, and Eduardo Sarabia.

“As a child, I had an undying passion for art, but I really deep dived into it after I started Del Toro,” Chevallard said. “Simply put, I view art as a rite of passage for sneakerheads.”

One of the first pieces Chevallard ever collected was a KAWS Spongebob print, which he purchased on eBay during college. Since then, he’s gained a more profound understanding of past and present art movements, citing the Italian Arte Povera movement and textile-based art as his favorite genres.

We caught up with Chevallard to hear about his favorite designer, what podcast he’s been listening to, and his favorite works available now on Artnet Galleries.