All New business models & startups articles
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ArticleHow a Tuscan startup is helping upcycle leather deadstocks
Zerow is a Tuscan-based marketplace established for the upcycling of fabric and leather leftovers. As the company’s name indicates, the “w” standing for waste, its purpose is to eliminate discarded materials and deadstock by transforming them into a resource. The company was founded by Alessio Troisi and Gabriele Rorandelli, who ...
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ArticleHow an Italian startup is proving to be the perfect fit for leading fashion brands
Measmerize, a startup established to offer sizing solutions for fashion brands, has built up a portfolio of about 40 clients, including high-profile fashion houses, thanks to customized AI algorithms proposing size and fit recommendations to end-users. The startup, which currently has a staff of 12 people, rapidly gained traction thanks ...
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Staray and Jo System join forces
Staray, a Chinese brand of 3D-printed footwear, set up with Jo System, an Italian provider of milling and lasering solutions, the Staray & Jo System Joint Design and Production Center, a research and development hub that “infuses technology into design and empowers design with the innovation of technology,” the ...
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Salehe Bembury launches Spunge
After working with the likes of Cole Haan, Veezy, Versace, New Balance and Crocs, the designer Salehe Bembury has launched his sneaker brand Spunge in partnership with Violet St. He will be acting as founder, designer and co-owner of the new business. “It’s always an honor to work with brands, ...
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ArticleSteve’s plans opening a temporary store in Courmayeur
Steve’s, an Italian producer of sustainable premium sneakers, plans to open a temporary store in the Italian high-end resort town of Courmayeur this November, as it seeks to jump-start the planned expansion of its distribution network. The idea is for the Courmayeur temporary store to remain open from November through ...
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ArticleC-Suite interview: Blusun enters second year looking to ramp up sales, expand outside of Europe
When Dirk Pfeffer and Silvia Brindlmayer set up their barefoot footwear brand Blusun last year, they knew what they wanted and what they did not. At the heart of their vision were shoes featuring high quality materials, reasonable prices and a sustainable and socially responsible supply chain. Pfeffer and Brindlmayer ...
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ArticleC-Suite interview: Velasca aims to double its store network by end 2028
In less than a year, Velasca, a Milan-based footwear and apparel retailer, has opened 10 shops, bringing the number of locations to 30 worldwide. By the end of 2028, the goal is to double that number to 60. After opening a third store in Paris and a second one in ...
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ArticleAI adoption rises in German retail, but rollout remains difficult
An increasing number of German retailers are turning to artificial intelligence, making the technology an integral part of the retail sector in Europe’s economic powerhouse, but company-wide implementation remains challenging for many, a survey from the German retail association HDE and Safaric Consulting showed. Over the past few years, ...
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ArticleEmerging designer: One step at a time; Meeko aims for responsible and respectful manufacturing
Headquartered in Malakoff, a suburban commune located south of Paris, Meeko is the brainchild of Guillaume Mesly d’Arloz and Maxime Savart, whose extensive travels and volunteer work in far-flung lands led them to create a shoe that respects nature to the max, while being versatile and durable. Mid-way between a ...
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ArticleEmerging designer: Moroccan babouches get a Milan fashion twist
Established in Milan in 2022 and launched during Milan Fashion Week in June of that year, the Babú brand of fashionable flats are designed for comfort, as well as functionality. Inspired by the traditional Moroccan babouches, these edgy, pointed-toe loafers with a Milan fashion twist are perfect for daytime as ...
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ArticleEmerging designer: Naples-inspired sandals stride out worldwide
Self-named and established in 2017, Ardemia is Ardemia de’ Gennaro’s brand of luxury all-leather, hand-made sandals, shoes and accessories. While studying for a Fashion Design qualification, de’ Gennaro opted to specialize in footwear, because – she says – this field affords enormous creative potential while respecting highly specific engineering principles. ...
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ArticleArchive raises $30m in Series B funding
Archive, a US technology company that powers resale businesses for brands such as Dr. Martens and New Balance, secured $30 million in Series B funding, led by Energize Capital, bringing its total funding to date to $54 million. Other participants included returning investors Lightspeed Venture Partners, Bain Capital Ventures, G9 ...
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ArticleEmerging designer: Sustainability is Sneark’s signature style
Acutely aware that every year some 15 billion pairs of sneakers are produced and that a mere twelve months later the vast majority end up in landfills or are incinerated along with other household waste, Lello Romano, an architect and designer with a particular penchant for footwear based in Agrigento, ...
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The Pottero footwear brand is launched
The footwear brand Pottero said that its sneakers are available to pre-order. The launch is “a chance for investors and streetwear enthusiasts to support a contemporary, creative brand before it enters mass markets,” said the Dubai-based brand created by David Grippman. Currently available in a minimalist black and white design, ...
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ArticleEmerging designer: CB Made in Italy seeks slow and steady growth
While their store in Via Santo Spirito in Florence may just be a mere 40 square metres (430 square feet), CB Made in Italy is brimming with ideas and plans for the future. The brainchild of Cecilia Bringheli and Sibilla De Vuono, CB Made in Italy offers a limited number ...
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ArticleHow an Italian 3D scanner manufacturer has stormed the footwear industry
The startup Covision Media decided to initially focus on the footwear industry to commercialize its 3D scanner developed in Bressanone, near the northern Italian town of Bolzano. The company, which was founded on Feb. 9, 2024, after having spun off from the technology group Covision Lab, currently has a slate ...
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LaLaLand joins forces with Elastium in 3D printed footwear
LaLaLand Production & Design, a Californian leather goods and footwear manufacturer, has joined forces with Elastium, a startup producing 3D printed footwear, to accelerate mass production through the No-Minimum-and-Maximum-Order-Quantity (No-MMOQ) business model which combines 3D printing and convential manufacturing. The first product launched under the collaboration is Elastium’s 3D ...
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ArticleUnflock launches a crowd funding campaign for its sneaker cover
The Italian startup Unflock launched on Sept. 15 a crowdfunding campaign through the Kickstarter platform to raise €42,000 to finance the launch of a cover to protect and personalize the soles of sneakers. Inspired by the “simplicity and functionality of smartphone covers” Unflock’s sole cover aims to reduce the replacement ...
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ArticleTwelve emerging brands in the spotlight at Micam
Scheduled to run from Sept. 15 to 17 at the Fieramilano Rho exhibition center at the outskirts of Milan, the 98th edition of the Micam footwear fair showcases again twelve up-and-coming footwear brands as part of its Emerging Designers selection located at the Micam X space in Hall 1. Often ...
