Diadora grows 8% in 2017, plans to focus on women’s products and apparel
Italian sports brand Diadora was founded in 1948, and since 2009 it is fully owned by LIR, the holding company of the Moretti Polegato family, which also has a 71% stake in footwear brand Geox. In 2017, Diadora recorded a revenue of €165 million excluding licensing income, up 8% compared to last year. At the Pitti Uomo 93 show currently under way in Florence, FashionNetwork.com spoke to Enrico Moretti Polegato, President and CEO of Diadora, about the brand's future plans.
"We deployed Diadora's relaunch strategy in 2009, starting with a redefinition of the brand's values. Diadora is a sports company, and this DNA must be at the heart of all of the brand’s projects and initiatives, to be then applied to other domains, such as luxury goods, street style or utility wear," said Moretti Polegato. "The brand's Italian roots were another core value underpinning our relaunch plan, both as design inspiration and for our reshoring effort. We have in fact reactivated a production line in Diadora's Montebelluna headquarters [in northern Italy], dedicated to limited editions and special projects, allowing us to preserve the local expertise in sport shoes by training a new generation of craftsmen, and we have also forged close ties with Italian partners. In the medium term, we plan for 7% of our total output to be produced in Italy."
Italy is still Diadora's main market, accounting for 61% of the brand's revenue. Among the key export markets are France, Germany, the UK and the USA, where Diadora operates a New York-based subsidiary. As Diadora isn't currently planning any direct retail activity, its entire revenue growth will be wholesale-driven.
“2018 will be a positive year for us, one in which we'll consolidate [the brand]," added Moretti Polegato. "Among our future goals, we plan to expand our women's collection, which currently accounts on average for 35% of total revenue, with differences among product lines: in the running segment for example, women's products are performing very well, thanks to our investments and a series of community projects involving women. Another high-potential growth area is apparel in general, which currently accounts for 20% of revenue, with footwear making up the remaining 80%."
At Pitti Uomo 93, Diadora introduced the new Heritage FW2018 collection, blending the brand's craft tradition with innovation and a contemporary vibe. The Design capsule collection features an updated take on some of the brand's signature models, such as the B.Elite shoe, in night blue brushed leather, with elasticated lace-free fastening and EVA sole. The Boot H model is instead a revised version of Diadora's traditional mountain boot, its nylon and leather uppers decorated with a design from the brand's 1981 archives.
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