Fashion
Sneakers brand Enterprise Japan enters new markets in Asia, America, creates first women’s line
Translated by
Nicola Mira
Published
March 13, 2025
The Fall/Winter 2025-26 collection by Italian premium sneakers brand Enterprise Japan combines Italian footwear expertise with an international outlook that has led the brand to enter new markets. Enterprise Japan, owned by Italian footwear producer Eli Group, is inspired by two apparently distant worlds, as it creatively blends Italian manufacturing expertise with Japanese precision. The brand’s collections reinterpret 1970s and 80s pop culture through an evergreen aesthetic distinctive for the strong connection between materials and quality.
After entering France in November 2024, Enterprise Japan is deploying the strategy it anticipated to FashionNetwork.com last year, with a focus on Asia. “In recent months, Brand Manager Alex Alliot has been travelling to South Korea, Japan and Hong Kong to meet potential partners, both retailers and distributors, and to assess the best strategies to enter these markets,” said Maurizio Croceri, CEO of Eli Group and the brains behind Enterprise Japan, speaking to FashionNetwork.com.
Croceri co-founded the group with Italian fashion businessman Marco Marchi in 2016. Eli Group is based in Civitanova Marche, in central Italy, and is part of Marchi’s Exelite Group. “[Potential partners] responded well to our products, but to enter these markets we need to plan a targeted communication and marketing strategy. [Enterprise Japan] is a niche brand. We aren’t necessarily aiming for big volumes right away, we’d rather talk to the right consumers, specific to our products, people who understand what they buy and why,” said Croceri.
Enterprise Japan is thinking about collaborating with local brands, artists and communities that are compatible with its values, and have an established market reputation. Local distributors will have to support Enterprise Japan in organising the import business and developing the brand on their specific markets. “In exchange, we can reciprocate by giving Asian brands the opportunity to enter Europe, and to gain visibility through our distribution network and our credibility,” said Croceri.
Eli Group performed satisfactorily in 2024, notably driven by the strong growth posted by Pinko Shoes. “Liu Jo, on the other hand, because of strategic brand image changes and the generalised market downturn, recorded a revenue decline, which was compensated by Pinko’s growth, while Enterprise Japan’s organic growth remained on track,” said Croceri, revealing that “[Enterprise Japan] has entered new markets, enabling us to boost visibility and volumes.”
In 2024, the brand entered Mexico and Israel, despite the tense geopolitical situation in the latter, “but we are also about to enter Thailand, Vietnam, and India, with local conglomerate Aditya Birla, which will be in charge of opening India’s branches of the Galeries Lafayette department store,” said Croceri. “These countries enabled us to compensate the shortfalls experienced in others where we were already operating, which struggled owing to the geopolitical-financial crisis that gripped the world last year,” he added.
Enterprise Japan is currently distributed by approximately 150 retail clients for a total of some 250 doors. “[Direct] retail is always in our sights, but market uncertainty doesn’t allow us to properly plan the necessary investments. The timeline has therefore extended,” said Croceri, adding that “by the end of this year we’ll redesign our site, with a new customer experience interface, more suited to our products’ contemporary feel.”
Enterprise Japan’s Fall/Winter 2025-26 collection consists of approximately 120 SKUs between men’s and women’s shoes. “This season, we introduced new product categories at the collection’s presentation in Milan, like handbags, socks, hats and perfumes. We’ll test the feasibility of these brand extensions on our e-shop, but for the time being we’re focusing on footwear,” said Croceri, adding that “the real novelty is that, from this season, we’re featuring a sizeable collection targeted specifically at women, for the first time. We’re introducing it due to sustained customer demand, and it won’t be just a series of men’s models adapted to women’s feet.”
Style-wise, the driving design principle behind Enterprise Japan’s couture sneakers is the Japanese concept of Shibui. The sneakers’ 80s heritage style is linked to Shibui’s art of imperfection, to the simplicity and beauty of the wear and tear caused by time, becoming a bridge between past and future. The collection’s main models are the Egg Rocket, Run Rocket, and Jupiter Rocket.
Copyright © 2025 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.
Earlier this week, Freemans told us how it had a successful Christmas season after launching its festive marketing very early. And it looks like it wants to repeat the feat with its Holiday season.
The e-tailer has unveiled its sunshine season shop and marketing plan even though the UK weather is still very chilly. Its Holiday Shop has just launched and, importantly, should be able to make the most of Britons planning Easter getaways.
And while Sophie Ellis-Bextor was (and will be) the star of its recent/forthcoming AW and Christmas campaigns, for Holiday, Myleene Klass — broadcaster, musician and campaigner for women and children — is the latest well-known name to work with the digital department store.
The 46-year-old is the face of Freemans’ Holiday Shop that includes the exclusive Lascana range (sourced from parent company The Otto Group). It has just launched online.
Lascana offers a comprehensive and inclusive range (sizes 6 to 28) and the wider Holiday Shop offers up to 6,000 SKUs, the largest to date for the e-tailer. As well as Freemans exclusives including the aforementioned Lascana and value offer Bonprix, third-party brands include Accessorize, Fantasie, Freya, Miraclesuit, Pour Moi, Birkenstock, Linzi, Monsoon, and AX Paris, among others.
Freemans last year announced a shift in strategy to reach new audiences targeting the 40+ female shopper. The aim was to positioning its self as a ‘style ally’, to a consumer group who research constantly showed feel neglected.
Ellis-Bextor was the first signing based on the new strategy and Freemans said Klass’s signing “signals the continuation of this strategy, using age appropriate, relatable celebrities to help inspire, inform and educate as to the digital department store’s offer”.
It believes Holiday Shop “presents a large opportunity for Freemans” with its new star helping to “showcase the retailer’s difference”.
The Freemans team and Klass flew to one of the UK’s most popular holiday destinations, Majorca, for a shoot that covered various locations including the beach, a holiday villa and a pool. She wore a selection of swimwear, vest tops, printed palazzo pants, animal print dresses, shirtdresses and jumpsuits, all from the Freemans exclusive Lascana range.
CEO Ann Steer said: “The evolution of the brand continues at pace. It’s essential that we develop ways to stay front of mind with customers old and new. Myleene helps to continue that momentum and it’s great to have her on board.”
Copyright © 2025 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.
Translated by
Nazia BIBI KEENOO
Published
March 14, 2025
The expansion of fashion and luxury brands into premium real estate continues. Today, Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Company announced the debut of Giorgio Armani‘s design studio in Saudi luxury real estate with the launch of Armani Residences Diriyah, located in the iconic “City of Earth” on the outskirts of Riyadh.
The announcement was made during Diriyah Company’s participation in MIPIM—the international urban environment festival—in Cannes.
These 15 exclusive residences will feature bespoke interiors curated by Giorgio Armani, who has reinterpreted Najdi architecture with a contemporary approach to celebrate Diriyah’s centuries-old heritage.
The residences, located in Diriyah Square, will be next to the future Armani Hotel Diriyah, which began construction in November 2024. The hotel will offer 70 luxury rooms, two fine-dining restaurants, and a premium spa, with suites featuring private spa areas and pools.
The residences will be divided into three distinct design concepts—The Palm Residences, The Botanical Residences, and The Royal Penthouses—ranging from 1,200 to 1,900 square meters. Each residence will include three ensuite suites, elegant living and dining areas, family spaces, a library, and a private pool.
A striking staircase will connect the individual residences called the “Tower of Light” and will be fully furnished and accessorized by Armani/Casa, including custom-designed kitchens and bathrooms. They will also feature a lobby, a private elevator, and direct access from a reserved underground parking area.
The Royal Penthouses will offer exclusive outdoor spaces, including private pools, a yoga terrace, cabanas, and barbecue areas in all upper-level units framed by meticulously designed gardens and landscaped terraces.
Residents will have access to the premium services of the Armani Hotel Diriyah, including a pool, gym, Business Lounge, Armani Study, and in-house dining services. Additionally, they will benefit from a range of included services under an annual fee, such as 24/7 concierge, valet parking, complimentary buggy service between the residence and hotel, a dedicated management team, and routine maintenance, including daily private pool cleaning.
Homeowners will enjoy exclusive privileges, including priority reservations at Armani restaurants, cafés, and hotels worldwide, a dedicated Armani/Casa consultant for shopping and personalized design advice, invitations to special Armani/Casa events, and priority access to new Armani/Casa product launches.
Armani Residences is the latest addition to the prestigious Diriyah-branded collection, which already includes Baccarat Residences Diriyah, Corinthia Residences Diriyah, Raffles Residences Diriyah, The Ritz-Carlton Residences Diriyah, and The Ritz-Carlton Signature Collection Diriyah, totaling 300 luxury residences.
Founded in 2022, Diriyah Company is part of the Public Investment Fund’s (PIF) giga-project portfolio and is responsible for developing Diriyah, positioning Diriyah Square as a hub of luxury and hospitality. The company is exploring further opportunities to introduce new Armani-branded experiences to the City of Earth and expand dining, retail, and lifestyle offerings.
Armani Residences Diriyah is part of Diriyah Company’s residential strategy. Once completed, it will accommodate over 100,000 people, including workers, students, and visitors, across a diverse mix of cultural, entertainment, retail, hospitality, education, and residential spaces. The initial openings include Bujairi Terrace, Riyadh’s new premium dining hub with over 20 international and local restaurants overlooking At-Turaif, and Bab Samhan, a Luxury Collection Hotel offering an exclusive experience with panoramic views of Wadi Hanifah.
What exactly is Diriyah? It is Saudi Arabia’s leading historical, cultural, and lifestyle destination and key to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan. Located just 15 minutes from downtown Riyadh, this 14 km² area holds unique historical significance as the birthplace of Saudi Arabia, with origins dating back to 1727. Diriyah is transforming into a mixed-use urban community in authentic Najdi style. At the heart of the project is At-Turaif, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010, preserving the ancient mud-brick capital of the First Saudi State, which dates back to 1766.
Established over 25 years ago, Armani/Casa is a luxury home décor brand born from Giorgio Armani’s vision of creating a warm, harmonious, highly comfortable, and sophisticated retreat. Today, Armani/Casa offers everything from furniture and accessories to fabrics, wallpapers, and kitchen and bathroom systems.
Since 2004, the Armani/Casa Interior Design Studio has provided comprehensive interior design services for private clients and real estate developers. Its portfolio includes residences in cities such as Miami, London, Beijing, Tel Aviv, Manila, Mumbai, Istanbul, and Mexico City. Armani/Casa operates in 29 countries worldwide and has 40 retail locations.
Copyright © 2025 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.
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