Scarosso, the Italian footwear brand, is setting its sights on expanding into the Asian market, according to Mauro Messina, who took over marketing leadership earlier this year. Messina expressed his vision for the brand during an interview, emphasizing the importance of associating Scarosso’s quality with its “made in Italy” identity.
“The path that we are on is very good,” Messina said. “The mix of collaborations and the main collection remain strong, but we always want to push ourselves. So, the idea is to continue to expand our market share and explore the Asian market.”
Messina outlined that Scarosso is currently in the preliminary stages of assessing how best to approach this large and diverse Asian market, which comprises consumers with varying preferences in countries such as Japan, South Korea, and China. He mentioned plans to enhance the company’s e-commerce presence in the region and to establish partnerships with select retailers to facilitate wholesale opportunities.
While the wholesale channel is not traditionally used by Scarosso, Messina believes it could enhance brand visibility in Asia. “It’s very difficult to enter markets where you are basically a newcomer, so we believe this approach will work,” he added.
In terms of current operations, Messina highlighted that the U.S. remains Scarosso’s most significant market, driving overall revenue. “Business has been growing consistently year-over-year the last few years, and this year has been solid,” he said, attributing the brand’s ability to plan expansion to the strong health of its business.
Messina shared insights into popular styles among Scarosso’s offerings, noting that the Oxford dress shoes, sneakers, and boots for men are performing well. For women, ballet flats and pumps have seen notable success. The product mix currently consists of 60 percent men’s shoes and 40 percent women’s footwear, with an objective to achieve an equal balance in the future.
The brand originally focused exclusively on men’s shoes, but Messina emphasized the importance of being perceived as an inclusive brand for all. “That’s why we are focused on growing women’s shoes to half the business,” he stated.
Collaborations with designers such as Brian Atwood and Linda Rodin have also contributed to changing this perception, attracting more female customers. Looking ahead, Messina mentioned plans for new collaborations in 2027 and emphasized the importance of the upcoming holiday season for selling their main collection.
