Patrizio di Marco, the former chief executive officer of Gucci and Bottega Veneta, is becoming a serious sneakerhead.
In a new development tied to its role in reviving the Pro-Keds footwear brand, di Marco has acquired a minority interest in Be Sneakers, the leading Italian footwear manufacturing company, which is among the partners of the Pro-Keds brand.
The latter’s designs, drawn from the brand’s archives, feature the innovative Rubber Fusion technology, a patented vulcanization technique from Be Sneakers which fuses multiple types of rubber into a single, multilayered sole, improving durability, traction and comfort.
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Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
“I decided to join Be Sneakers because I found in this company a unique blend of cutting-edge technology, quality, and a truly Italian artisanal culture. I strongly believe in its industrial and creative potential, and I’m excited to help shape its future,” said di Marco.
As reported in January, di Marco joined forces with Jay Schottenstein, the U.S. retail veteran and founder of American Eagle Outfitters and DSW, to rekindle Pro-Keds, setting in motion a global relaunch of the brand.
Pro-Keds was first launched in 1949 as part of the US Rubber Company, a pioneer in the footwear industry, also owner of the Keds brand, founded in 1912 in Boston.
Wolverine World Wide Inc. had sold Keds to Designer Brands Inc., the parent company of footwear retailer DSW, in 2023.
Based in Barletta, in Italy’s Apulia region, Be Sneakers posted sales of 7.8 million euros in 2024, up 66 percent compared to the previous year. With his investment, di Marco also brings a wealth of fashion managerial knowledge to the company, which plans to hit the 10 million euro threshold in 2025 revenues.
“Di Marco’s arrival marks a key milestone in our growth journey. His sharp eye for product and deep understanding of global market dynamics will be instrumental in strengthening our positioning, while also bringing an international perspective and paving the way for new, high-profile collaborations,” said Peppe Ricco, CEO of Be Sneakers.
Di Marco is not new to the sneaker world.
After a key role in turning around Bottega Veneta over an eight-year stint as president and CEO, di Marco took the helm at Gucci in 2009, at the peak of the global economic crisis, exiting in December 2014.
He is a former executive chairman and shareholder of hip sneaker brands Golden Goose, Autry, and British streetwear retailer End. Clothing.