Pro-Keds: from the US to Europe with Patrizio Di Marco’s project

It is (still) small and its distribution is limited to Europe, but the Pro-Keds trainer brand has three factors in its favour that make it one of the start-ups being closely watched by the market.

The first factor relates to the two partners in the Milan-based joint venture that acquired the American brand: a duo comprising the billionaire philanthropist Jay Schottenstein, head of the American Eagle Outfitters and DSW brands, with interests in the retail, property and technology sectors, who holds a 45 per cent stake in Pro-Keds; and the executive Patrizio di Marco, former CEO of Bottega Veneta and Gucci (until 2014), who subsequently acted as a consultant to various luxury brands, and who holds a 55 per cent stake in the company.

The second factor is the team working on the brand’s growth, selected on the basis of the experience and connections Di Marco has built up over 30 years in the luxury sector, including his most recent roles with Golden Goose trainers (where he served as chairman from 2018 to 2020) and Autry (which he led from 2021 to 2024). The third factor is the brand’s long and illustrious history: Pro-Keds was founded in 1949 on the basketball courts of Boston (worn by champions such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Pete Maravich, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan), made its way onto the streets of New York and became part of the American music scene, before changing hands several times and eventually being mothballed.

Ora di Marco is presenting its third complete collection, for men and women, at Pitti Uomo and announces: ‘We have big ambitions: our e-commerce platform is up and running, we’ve entered the retail world with the opening of a small shop in Rome on Via del Babuino, we’ve set foot in China, and next season we’ll be entering the Korean market as we look to tackle the US. If everything falls into place, we aim to achieve a turnover of at least 50 million.”

In 2025, Pro-Keds generated revenue of around one million, with distribution across 250 retail outlets in Italia and Europe: “We don’t want to be found only in high-end shops,” explains Di Marco, “we’re interested in selling a well-made product at a fair price to everyone: prices range from 130 euros to 190 euros for shoes made in Asia, and up to 300 euros for trainers made in Italia at Peppe Ricco’s BeSneaker factory in Puglia, in which I have invested by acquiring a minority stake.”