Axel Arigato is growing at a double-digit rate on 100% full-price sales through its own stores and website, CEO Frédéric Serrant said in his first extended interview since taking the top job in January. September was the brand's best month on record in terms of full-price growth.

"We are currently enjoying a very impressive full-price performance," Serrant told FN. "One hundred percent of our business is run at full price in our stores and on our website. We are growing double-digits, and that does not start with a one, or a two, actually. So, this is very encouraging, and it also means that it's not only Clean 90 that supports that performance."

Serrant, who spent 16 years at Adidas — most recently as managing director of its APAC business — succeeded cofounder Albin Johansson, who stepped back from the CEO role a year after fellow founder Max Svärdh moved away from day-to-day involvement.

How did the brand reset its distribution?

The turnaround follows a deliberate two-year reset. Serrant admitted business began slowing in 2022 after a growth run from 2014 through roughly 2021.

"Axel was a growth company from 2014 through maybe 2021, but now the objective is really to reaccelerate in a sustainable way," he said.

The executive team's 2025 actions did the heavy lifting, according to the CEO:

• Held the line on full-price positioning in owned channels
• Cleaned out distribution partners that created marketplace conflict
• Codified a brand playbook to align the organization

"I can speak about this without arrogance since I wasn't here yet, but the team did the right things in 2025 to protect the business," Serrant said, adding that the cleanup delivered "a clean slate" entering 2026. The company has been accelerating every month since March.

What is driving the product mix?

The Clean 90 sneaker — designed by Svärdh in 2016, still made in Portugal and barely changed in a decade — marks its tenth anniversary this year. Serrant said the style has gained share within the business over the last three to four years.

"Max designed the sneaker to be above trends, right, and also something that would be relevant every day, every year," the CEO said. He added that if larger volume players succeed in establishing a court-inspired minimal shoe as the trend for next year, "then obviously the Clean 90 will benefit, too."

Beyond Clean 90, the Daze, Dice and Orbit models are the four silhouettes "doing tremendously well." Serrant flagged an imbalance in gender mix as a fixable gap. "The honest answer is that the balance between the two categories is not good enough," he said. Next year's plan includes Daze variations, a mary jane style and ballet shoes to pull more women into the brand.

Anniversary activity includes a campaign built around five Clean 90 wearers — filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr., entrepreneur Kai Avent-deLeon, London gallerist Max Radford, chef Jesse Jenkins, and Mark, who has worked security at the Soho, London store since it opened — plus workshops at the new Paris showroom on Oct. 10–11.

Where is the company expanding?

The U.S. is now Axel Arigato's most important market, and Serrant called it "critically important" to pour more resources into the country. The brand opened its first U.S. store in NYC's SoHo in 2024 and has since strengthened its regional logistics backbone to support growth.

More locations are likely, though nothing is signed. "While I can't say much since the paperwork is not signed, we're going to expand our presence," Serrant said. "For the time being, we will stay on the East Coast to keep operations as simple as possible. We have big ambitions for the U.S. next year, it's No. 1 on our list."

Why did the headquarters move to Sweden?

Late last month, Axel Arigato closed its Drill Hall office in London and consolidated headquarters operations in Gothenburg, Sweden, where the company officially started with more than 25 people.

"A decision like this, you don't ever take lightly, and I understand the consequences," Serrant said, noting that staff from the U.S., Italy and elsewhere form what he called a very international team. A handful of employees remain in London at a smaller office near the Carnaby Street store.

Serrant said a pipeline of innovations will carry the brand next year and help sustain double-digit growth.