The key points
- The company was born almost 10 years ago and has a direct to consumer business model
- The products are made entirely in Italy
- 55% of revenues are made online, the rest in the 18 shops
The launch of the men’s clothing collection marks a new chapter in the history of Velasca, a company of handmade footwear – and accessories – made in Italy born in 2013.
The former Milanese start-up, founded by Enrico Casati and Jacopo Sebastio, was created with the idea of offering high quality classic shoes at an affordable price – ranging from 220 euros for moccasins to 290 euros for men’s Chelsea Boots – thanks the absence of intermediaries (retailers). And by establishing a direct and omnichannel dialogue with the consumer: via the web, through the e-commerce platform and social networks, but also “in person” in the store.
“We have always said that we would start with footwear – explains Enrico Casati – and we are happy to have dedicated the first nine years of our history to this product: having specialized in footwear has allowed us to build a strong brand in the eyes of international customers. . The clothing collection represents a natural evolution ». The garments – shirts, sweatshirts, trousers and jeans, outerwear – are made of fine yarns (wool, linen, cotton) in some of the most important manufacturing districts in Italy: “We went to look for manufacturing excellence, as we did for footwear: we produce outerwear and jeans in Veneto, knitwear in Emilia Romagna and Marche, shirts between Naples and Puglia and trousers in Salerno ».
To host the collection – for now only for men: “I think one day we will get to be a woman, but she is not in the pipeline”, says Casati – will soon open a physical store dedicated to total look, in via Mercato 22 in Milan : «The official inauguration is scheduled for November 3rd. The store will be dedicated to clothing and a selection of men’s accessories and shoes ». Conversely, the other Velasca “shops” – 18 including the women’s boutique just opened in Turin and the one soon to open in Rome – will host some pieces from the total look collection.
Velasca’s business model, which started with e-commerce, has always been based on the integration of sales channels. An integration that the data confirm to be real: «Today we make 55% of our revenues in stores, but the percentage rises a lot abroad where we currently have only three boutiques: in London, Paris and New York», explains the founder. Abroad accounts for over a third of Velasca’s revenues, which aims to close 2022 “with a turnover of around 19 million euros, an increase compared to the 2021 we have already achieved”, says Casati. In 2022 the company reached profitability for the first time and changed its bylaws to become a benefit company.