When one is on the hunt for the ultimate specimen of sophisticated footwear, one usually needs to look no further than Europe. American retailer Barneys New York and Italian shoe experts Ermenegildo Zegna collaborate on a 2018 collection of fashion-forward and contemporary casual sneakers.
Ermenegildo Zegna is a family-run business that handcrafts sleek and sophisticated footwear with high-end materials in a workshop in Italy. For the collaboration with Barneys New York, the Europeans rework their classic Vittorio silhouette. The result is an exclusive sophisticated footwear design, called Vulcanizzato. Boasting a soft and hand-brushed suede upper in a gray or light brown, the exquisite casual sneakers incorporate a subtle detail of a leather heel patch. Mixing artisanal touch with high-end retail, the BNY Sole Series is bound to get some attention from consumers.
Photo Credits: Ronald Stewart, Ermenegildo Zegna
What's Driving This Trend
- European-made Footwear
- The high-quality materials and craftsmanship of European-made footwear represent an opportunity for fashion brands to target consumers who value luxury and exclusivity.
- Collaborative Fashion Collections
- Creating collaborative fashion collections between brands with complementary products or customer bases can appeal to a wider range of consumers and create unique, in-demand products.
- Handcrafted Footwear
- The rise of artisanal and handcrafted products creates a market opportunity for brands to differentiate themselves from mass-produced offerings and appeal to consumers who value quality and uniqueness.
Who This Affects Most
- Luxury Footwear
- The luxury footwear market can leverage the allure of high-quality materials and European craftsmanship to target affluent consumers seeking exclusivity and luxury items.
- Fashion Retail
- Fashion retailers can explore collaborative collections like the Ermenegildo Zegna and Barneys NY Vulcanizzato shoes to create unique offerings and target new customer segments.
- Handcrafted Goods
- The handcrafted goods segment represents an opportunity for brands to appeal to consumers seeking unique, artisanal products that they cannot find in mass-produced offerings.
