How Scarosso Built a Reputation in Women's Footwear Using Collaborations
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In the world of fashion and accessories, collaborations come a dime-a-dozen. Whether it's your favorite luxury label collaborating with an upcoming entertainment release, or the biggest contemporary brands coming together for a cross-over, there are plenty of capsules to choose from. Among them, Scarosso, a direct-to-consumer brand, which was founded in 2010 and specializes in handmade Italian luxury footwear at a friendlier-but-still-luxury price point, has carved out a niche in collaborations.
Already established as a go-to brand for menswear classics, Scarosso has leveraged choice collaborations with the likes of Brian Atwood, Paula Cadematori, and Yolanda Edwards (among other designers) to make a name for themselves in women's footwear as well. Here, an interview with Gaetano D’Angiulli, Scarosso Brand Manager, to talk all things collaborations—and some picks to shop as well. Read on!
How has Scarosso used collaborations to develop their market in women’s footwear?
Collaborations have become part of our DNA and business model— each collaboration adds a new piece that capitalizes on our partner's reputation and style as well as strategically elevates our brand recognition and development. This is a longterm project that we are pursuing and thus we have to great satisfaction. A few years ago, Scarosso was only really recognized as a men's brand, but now we can say with immense pride that our women's collection has become a fundamental part of our identity, and of course, collaborations like those with Brian, Paula, and Yolanda have helped a lot to move us in that direction.
Why choose designers like Brian Atwood and Paula Cademartori? These designers in particular cater to very different aesthetics… what is offered by this polarity in design?
The key to successfully collaborating is to provide entry to new products, perspectives, and points of view. In my opinion they must be disruptive and authentic at the same time—and authentic to that designer's DNA. It's become a way for us to encapsulate the spirit of those different personalities and spread that to the market.
How do you differentiate your collaborations from the native women's designs that Scarosso offers?
Each collaboration answers a specific question that we've asked ourselves. When we decided we wanted to enter the world of high heels, we thought about who could make us credible in that world, and that's how the partnership with Brian Atwood came to be.
Is there a plan to keep the Atwood and Cademartori collaborations as signature pieces available permanently?
Absolutely yes! Most items from our collaborations can be considered new additions to the styles we carry over from season to season.
What's next in terms of collaborations?
Unfortunately we can't disclose what's next. But recently we did launch new styles in collaboration with Nick Wooster. After the launch last year of our first drop with Nick, which included the High Knee Chelsea boots, we’ve decided to further the partnership and work on this reinterpretation of our iconic styles of our loafers and derbies—in a characteristically vibrant and preppy way.
Shop Scarosso's collaborations here!
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