by Raffaele Vitali
PORTO SANT’ELPIDIO – Head in Ascoli Piceno, but for a few months strong arms in Porto Sant’Elpidio. Kim Williams, the CEO of Pantofola d’Oro, a century-old footwear company from Ascoli Piceno, had no doubts in planning the growth strategy.
“We had been working with a family company for some time, by now they were our point of reference because they were good and punctual. And so we decided, two months ago in full agreement, to take over the Costa shoe factory of Porto Sant’Elpidio. Eighteen employees who now exclusively produce our Pantofola d’Oro. A logistical and growth choice” says Williams from the Pitti stand, between one customer and another.
“It’s not an easy period, but being able to count on two worlds, fashion and sport, we’re not complaining. We closed 2023 with growth of 35% and this year the goal is +20. Six million direct turnover in 2023 and 9 million for licenses in Korea and Northern Europe” he continues.
Until Covid, fashion was worth 95%, the post-pandemic has changed everything, “also thanks to the delivery times which have lengthened for the big brands. Space was thus freed up and today we sell football to athletes from all over the world and in 2024 it will account for 30% of the turnover.”
The second novelty, after the establishment, is in the new Padel line, a further investment for that segment of sport that is growing. “We have developed the fund with Vibram and will present it shortly. Thanks to a regional tender for an innovative product, we have chosen to invest in this sector. The world of tennis, also thanks to Sinner, is growing rapidly. For us it is a great investment, the regional tender, intercepted together with P448 helps us and allows us to work on research with the University of Camerino”.
However, football remains the core business, all the luxury brands are trying. “But we have history on our side.” In a phase in which the aspirational segment, those who are not luxury but travel at a high price, struggle more “we must be good at being ready. But the challenge is tough, many of us want to sell in the same shops, However, the niche is there and therefore we need to get a slice of it and consolidate it day after day. Quality Made in Italy helps. And by using everything we produce in our factory, we guarantee benefits.”
Among these there is also the customization of the sneakers, in everything. “Starting with the skin which plays a fundamental role. It is for the football boot, it is the leather that makes us competitive because we only use the best and softest products. But it is also the case for the ‘fashion’ shoe which can be customized by sitting next to one of the employees of the twenty top stores in Italy and customizing it for leather and colours, including the eyelets. Within three weeks he arrives home” continues Kim Williams. A system that he had tested in the past and which he has now developed to the fullest, including foot measurement.
The CEO is always open to new challenges, suffice it to say that in New York he opened a shop together with P448, with whom he has a collaboration for the production of thousands of pairs. “Our partner is very strong in the USA, we are gearing up and after New York we will move in Venice Beach, where we will have a pop up simultaneously with the Venice Football Cup”.
But the United States is not an obsession, there are Japan and Crea leading the way, then Germany and Benelux “who are struggling today but we have not lost positions”, and obviously Italy, where the biggest problems are payments, “for this reason we will fewer customers, but with the right number of pairs. Large orders are a cause for concern because consumption is really low.”
For football, England remains a point of reference, together with the East, “especially in the lower divisions where they want high quality shoes and not necessarily world brands” concludes Kim Williams, CEO of Pantofola d’Oro, who with a shot from central defender the crisis kicked it to the other side of the pitch.
