Scarosso Eyes Asia Entry as U.S. Growth Funds Expansion Plans

Italian footwear brand Scarosso will expand into Asia through regional e-commerce and selective wholesale partnerships, with new collaborations planned for 2027, according to Mauro Messina, who took over marketing earlier this year.

The company has set no timeline, no target markets in priority order and no volume targets. Messina described the Asia push as being in a "discovery phase" in an interview with FN this month.

"Asia is a very large market with very different kinds of consumers in Japan versus South Korea versus China," Messina said. "Each market may require a different approach, but the idea is to expand our e-commerce site to the region and team up with a few retailers for wholesale opportunities."

Why wholesale marks a strategy shift

Wholesale is not a traditional channel for Scarosso, which built its business on direct-to-consumer sales. Messina framed the channel shift as a visibility play rather than a revenue play.

"It's very difficult to enter markets where you are basically a newcomer, so we believe this approach will work," he said.

He did not name candidate retail partners, specify margin structures, or say who bears the cost of market entry. No deal has been signed. The entire Asian expansion remains an announced intention, not a confirmed commitment.

What is funding the push

The U.S. remains the brand's "most important" market and a "big driver" of overall revenue, Messina said. He offered no revenue figures, growth percentages or market-share data to support the claim.

"Business has been growing consistently year-over-year the last few years, and this year has been solid," he said. "That's the reason why we can plan to expand to Asia, because we are reassured by the health of our business."

"Solid" is a marketing characterization. The company disclosed no audited numbers, no comparable-brand benchmarks and no breakdown of U.S. versus European sales.

The 60/40 product mix problem

Scarosso's product mix currently stands at 60 percent men's shoes and 40 percent women's footwear. The company wants an even split. The brand launched with men's shoes only.

"It's important for all of us at the company that we are perceived as a total brand for everyone," Messina said. "That's why we are focused on growing women's shoes to half the business."

Top performers tell the same story. Men's Oxford dress shoes, sneakers and boots lead sales. Women's ballet flats and pumps trail despite recent gains.

Collaborations are the stated lever for closing the gap. Past tie-ups include Brian Atwood, Natalia Bonifacci, Marta Pozzan and Linda Rodin, which Messina called popular with female customers. He cited no sales data for these collaborations.

What comes next

Near-term focus is twofold: the holiday selling season for the main collection, and the fall/winter 2026 line. Beyond that, the company is planning new collaborations for 2027, unnamed at this stage.

"Right now, we are focusing on 2027, where we are planning new collaborations," Messina said. "But holiday is fast approaching and is a prime time for selling our main collection."

For sourcing and retail partners, the practical takeaway is limited but real: Scarosso is a DTC brand preparing to open its first wholesale doors in Asia, with U.S. revenue as the stated cushion. Watch for named retail partners and a market-entry timeline before treating the expansion as committed.