From a Barcelona skate shop to a brand distributed across Europe. Spanish label Kaotiko BCN has announced the ramp-up of its business in France, staging an event in early September at the Aujourd’hui-Demain boutique restaurant in Paris’s 11th arrondissement — a perfect backdrop for a proposition that riffs on Barcelona streetwear codes with fashion ambition.

For the brand, which presented its autumn-winter collection at the Who’s Next trade show last January, the aim is to position itself in this segment as an alternative with a Mediterranean twist to the ubiquitous Carhartt WIP. “There is a strong connection between Barcelona and the skateboarding world. In France, we observe a positive response to our proposal. Barcelona’s positive energy also resonates with French culture,” explains Germán Bernad, the company’s managing director.

That credibility has already won over around 60 points of sale in France — a network set to gain momentum, as Simon Leroy, who represents the label in France, has built a full team for the French market this year. A recent move for a name that has been active for a quarter of a century.

Over the past 25 years, Kaotiko has followed a distinct trajectory that aligns with its identity. The name originates from the multi-brand store dedicated to skateboarding and surfing, which was opened in 1999 by Katia Vilaginés and Ángel Palacios. The founders added their own products to the selection, with Katia Vilaginés designing the collection of T-shirts and sweatshirts.

The concept proved successful and expanded with further openings in Barcelona. The brand also built a reputation for producing locally, with 90% of its T-shirts made just a few kilometers from the Catalan capital. The concept proved compelling enough that, to expand, the founders brought Alicante-based Estudio 2000 on board as a shareholder. “About ten years ago, the founders were looking to develop their concept outside Barcelona. We had known each other for some time because our family business distributed Puma in Spain, and we saw an opportunity,” explains Germán Bernad. In 2018, the Bernad family acquired a large majority stake.

At the time, the company continued to expand its retail footprint while testing wholesale distribution of Kaotiko to retailers, structuring its range around seasonal collections. “We took part in the Bright skate show in Berlin, and we secured our first clients there,” recalls the managing director. “We also had our first contacts with Zalando at that time.”

Although the brand signed German retailers in its very first season, wholesale sales accounted for only a minor share for several years. The company reached €12 million in revenue in 2021, with its network of around a dozen stores across Spain still the main driver.

But the brand simultaneously faced declining store traffic and the rise of new brands whose founders grew up with social media and are experts in digital communications. “Retail has become complicated, less reliable. In Spain, there are many new brands in the streetwear sector, which are very strong in marketing and organizing events and parties, engaging with their community. That is not exactly our identity. We rely on styling and design. We decided to close stores and invest in developing the wholesale business,” explains the managing director. “We reduced revenue but focused on profitability.”

By structuring its production for the multi-brand channel, Kaotiko has added footwear to its collection over the past three years and expanded its sourcing, notably in Portugal and Asia for long-sleeved pieces. The brand offers two drops per season and has also added more fashion-led capsules (with musical themes or “Café Lover”), with cuts better suited to retailers targeting a 30- to 45-year-old clientele, while also placing greater focus on womenswear silhouettes, which, according to the brand’s French agents, interest retailers.

The brand now has just four stores, which serve as showcases in Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia. In parallel, it is expanding with distributors in South Korea, as well as in Germany, Italy, and, of course, France — bringing the total to around 500 points of sale worldwide. It is expected to achieve sales of €7 million in 2025 and is targeting growth in 2026, with around 100 retailers for the French market. While sales are still predominantly generated in Spain, ongoing developments (including discussions about expansion in Latin America) should push the international share above 50% as early as 2026.