Italian Shoes with the World at Their Feet
ALUMNI |

Italian Shoes with the World at Their Feet

QUALITY SHOES MADE IN ITALY AT AFFORDABLE PRICES. THUS WAS BORN VELASCA, THE FOOTWEAR STARTUP CONCEIVED BY ENRICO CASATI

"We started out without a cent, knowing nothing about either shoes or technology, but persuaded by direct experience that Made-in-Italy quality products sold at affordable prices abroad were something that was missing." Enrico Casati, born in 1987 and Bocconi Class of 2011 in International Management, recalls the beginnings of Velasca, the company he started together with business partner Jacopo Sebastio (also a Bocconian) which sells handmade shoes both online and through a network of directly managed brick-and-mortar stores.

«Our start-up phase has been quite long, we have grown slowly and also through many mistakes. Understanding what to focus on, analyzing market mechanisms and making the right moves is what’s hard. However, now that we are officially a scale-up we can build on this experience to make the most of external capital inflows.»
 
The latest capital infusion of €4.5 million will support the company’s international expansion and the opening of new shops. "Velasca was born in 2013 to sell only online", Enrico explains. «Already in 2014, however, our first experience with a temporary store made us understand that we could get a lot of satisfaction from the physical retail channel. Today our plan is to open 20 new stores, of which 16 abroad, starting with Paris, London, both just opened, and New York, where we will open in January." In-person selling brings new opportunities and new challenges: "To support the channel, you need to have a lot of circulating product, move pre-emptively with suppliers, and have the capital to support the investment. For this, we analyze e-commerce data a lot ".
 

by Emanuele Elli
Translated by Alex Foti


Latest Articles Alumni

Go to archive
  • Professional Updating is Vital

    Marco Ceresa (CEO of Randstad Italia and Bocconi alumnus) outlines the factors that will influence the professions of tomorrow, from the growing importance of worklife balance to the advent of artificial intelligence. A challenge for people, but also for companies

  • Phase Two of Changed by Women: A Roadshow Around the World and Mentorship Program

    After an inspiring, grand evening of stories and music on 8 March, the project is now kicking off a series of events at various Bocconi Alumni Community chapters around the world. A women's mentorship program along with the Women Fund in support of female students have been launched as well

  • Chaptr Global, the Kenyan startup that improves access to education

    Based on the learn now, pay later concept, the company cofounded by Cyril Michino promises to improve the financing of education in a system that puts young people without a credit history at a disadvantage

Browse the magazine in digital format.

View previous issues of Via Sarfatti 25

BROWSE THE MAGAZINE

Events

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
      1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31