The former Gucci CEO has bought a minority stake in the Italian footwear manufacturer.
Patrizio Di Marco, the former CEO of Italian luxury fashion brands Gucci and Bottega Veneta, has acquired a minority stake in Be Sneakers. The financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed. Di Marco has also joined the Be Sneakers board.
Be Sneakers is an Italian sneaker manufacturer based in Barletta, in Italy’s Apulia. The company uses the innovative Rubber Fusion technology, a patented vulcanization technique that blends traditional press methods with advanced autoclave technology, and fuses multiple types of rubber into a single, multi-layered sole.
Natural rubber is molded at high temperatures, allowing it to form the sole and fuse with the upper without solvents or adhesives, claims Be Sneakers. The Rubber Fusion sole is certified biodegradable by CSI S.p.A.
Be Sneakers, headed by founder and CEO Peppe Ricco, posted sales of €7.8 million in 2024, a 66 percent increase from the previous year, and plans to reach €10 million in 2025.
