Bio

An artist since a very young age, Addicus Ostendorf Bagwell (AOB) graduated in 2020 from the University of Connecticut where he earned a BFA degree in Graphic Design. During his undergraduate years he was both inspired and encouraged by the Fine Arts faculty to pursue his passion and art.

Addicus is currently a bespoke shoemaker dedicated to the art and craft of handmade footwear. His journey began as a student in 2017 at the Brooklyn Shoe Space, where a single course sparked a deep and lasting infatuation with shoemaking. That passion soon grew into a vocation.

Before moving to Italy, Addicus collaborated with Brooklyn Shoe Space and Adidas at HypeFest, where festival-goers designed and customized their own sneakers - a project that blended traditional craftsmanship with contemporary sneaker culture.

In 2021, Addicus moved to Florence, Italy in pursuit of traditional training at SCHOLA Academy. He began an apprenticeship at the renowned atelier Stefano Bemer in 2022. Shortly after, he was invited to join their bespoke production team, where he spent the next two and a half years working alongside master shoemakers, honing his skills and embracing the discipline of classic shoemaking.

Today Addicus works under his own name. He brings a quiet precision, deep respect for tradition, and thoughtful design sensibility to every pair of shoes he creates. He currently commutes between Italy and the USA designing, teaching, and making out of his studios in Florence, Italy and Storrs, Connecticut.