Melbourne has lost a fashion icon with the sudden death of Morry Fishman, the patriarch of the Miss Louise shoe empire.

Mr Fishman died over the weekend after suffering a heart attack while on a business trip to Italy with his daughter, Jacqueline.

Morry Fishman, founder of Miss Louise, died over the weekend from a heart attack while on a business trip in Italy.

Mr Fishman's son, Darren, said the family was in shock but his father died doing what he loved.

"He was very active. If he couldn't [go to work] it would have been a blow to him. For him to go at the top of his game and doing what he loved ... and living it up on Capri [was better]," he said.