Starting from today, Versace are launching, in the United States, Chain Reaction (on the left), their new sneakers collection designed in collaboration with rapper 2 Chainz. Sale price is going to be 920 dollars a pair. On the one hand, customers may find the models on display in the company’s shop windows at SoHo – the developing area in the luxury shopping – as well as on the company’s website. On the other hand, for the very first time a luxury brand creates a new sales channel exclusively through an app, namely the Goat platform, “a revolutionary system that will enable customers to find genuine shoes”, points out Salehe Bembury, footwear designer for YEEZY & Versace. Seven million followers have joined Goat, which is considered to be one the favourite channels to get to the so-called “sneaker enthusiasts”. They represent a fast expanding group of people that will supposedly enjoy, cleared up Bembury, some distinguishing features of Chain Reaction: the Versace labelled chain on the upper, shoelaces plunged into plastic, the “love” word written in Braille, and soles, for basket trainers, to prevent abnormal ankle twists. While Versace are heading for the digital experience, another web platform walks the other way round, going back to traditional stores. Such is the choice of Greats (on the right), a made in Brooklyn sneakers brand, launched in 2013: they have been for sale, for a couple of years, in some shops as well, Nordstrom for example. Their maiden retail store, 50 square metres wide, opened at SoHo as well. Greats leather footwear models proudly emphasize their being made in “Italian leather”: sale price is going to be 240 dollars a pair. Greats have been launching their brand new collection for women: last May they received a 10-million-dollar investment.
Sneakers and digital experience: Versace to sell Chain Reaction also through Goat app, while Greats get back to stores
