MILAN — Car Shoe’s new flagship here is physical proof the Prada-owned brand has shifted into high gear.
The 648-square-foot outpost on Via della Spiga is more than double the size of its former space on the same street and features a new design. It’s the second namesake store for Car Shoe after a unit in Capri.
Designed by architect Roberto Baciocchi, who also masterminded the new Miu Miu stores, the flagship is furnished like the sleek interiors of a car. The new look got the green light from Prada Group chief executive officer Patrizio Bertelli, who is very involved in the development of the Car Shoe brand.
Green piped leather chairs are reminiscent of car seats, while the shiny briarwood panels and showcases, along with the perforated suede upholstery and chromium details, recall a luxury dashboard. The overhead spotlights evoke old headlights.
For the holiday season, the two windows that flank the main entrance feature the front and hood of a gleaming red vintage car.
“The automobile world recalls the origin of the brand, and since we wanted to preserve classic elements of style, this decor not only seemed right, but also duplicable in various sizes and locations,” said Stefano Cantino, marketing manager at Prada Group.
Car Shoe was founded in 1963 by Italian artisan Gianni Mostile, whose passion for race cars and handmade shoes sparked the driving loafer, patented by the Italian Ministry of Industry and Trade. The flagship carries the brand’s men’s and women’s footwear, bags and a collection of small leather goods created for the opening.
One room is dedicated to its bestseller — the driving shoe with a pebble sole. Steeped in tradition, each one is still hand-sewn with 160 stitches using English thread. In the Milan store and at no extra charge, customers can customize a pair by choosing from 35 colors and an array of skins, including hammered calfskin, suede, ponyskin and crocodile.
“This new store is a clear indication that the group is ultrafocused in developing and growing the brand,” said Cantino.
Medium-term plans include store openings in Rome, Paris, London, Barcelona, New York, Tokyo and Hong Kong. In the U.S., the line is available at Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus.
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Though Car Shoe’s growth plan has been of the one-step-at-a-time kind, sales have grown significantly, considering the forecast for 2006 is $30 million, up from $7.8 million in 2004. The driving loafer accounts for 40 percent of revenues. However, Car Shoe has expanded beyond that: during the last two years, the number of footwear styles for women has increased to 100 from 20, while 30 new bag shapes are presented each season. An in-house team designs both categories.
Whether it’s suede riding boots or an open-toe wedge, most styles feature pebble soles, grommets or little ribbons that derive from the driving shoe. Average retail prices range from $304 for loafers, kitten-heel pumps and ballerinas; $583 for boots, and $246 for clogs.
When asked about competitors such as Tod’s, Cantino replied that the luxury goods market offers ample opportunities for everyone. “Car Shoe has a very strong historical identity and a hard-core group of fans, starting from the Agnelli family,” said Cantino. “The brand speaks for itself in an understated manner.”