In Italy the 991 model is one of the customers favourite. In this season, NB-Italy sold so many shoes like long time no see and it was not least the credit of the 991. Nicola Mercatali, Lifestylemanager of Italy, gave us an interview about the situation.

In Italien steht das Modell 991 ganz hoch im Kurs der New Balance Fans. In dieser Saison verkaufte NB-Italien so viele Schuhe wie lange nicht mehr und das war nicht zuletzt der Verdienst des 991. Wir interviewten Nicola Mercatali, der verantwortlich für die NB Produkte und Vermarktung ist, und er stand uns Rede und Antwort.

Hello Nicola, what is New Balance in Italy all about?

New Balance in Italy is back. We will reach this year the same numbers of our best past season which was 2002, but with less of the half of clearance respect to 2002, so the situation for us is much more better. Looking at the past to understand why NB Phenomenom came out in Italy we have to go back to the late 90ies when the Vintage Trend emerged in the fashion world, probably linked also to the economic crisis of that period which was for sure one of the main causes which touched off the phenonenom of recovering old fashion vogues: 70ies, 80ies and 90ies. New Balance was immediately recognized by trend setters as an Heritage Vintage Sneakers Brand. We quickly grew from 4.000 pairs in 1996 to the NB boom registered in 2000, 2001 and 2002 (more than 100 times more). NB 574 entered in the Top 5 sneakers ranking in Italy. Soon other brands came out with their vintage collections – Puma, Adidas, Nike, Converse – and other phenomenon brands exploded in our market: Munich, Onitsuka Tiger, Kawasaki, Superga,… So NB lost some position in the Fashion Sneakers Ranking, but always appealed the young adult consumer for quality and comfort and for the Heritage Brand we represent.

So what do you think, brought you back in position?

It was definitly thank to a quality and comfortable sneaker that we come back between the top brands: THE 991. The Sporting Goods stores are suffering more than the others the crisis we are living, but NB become a successfull brand in the high fashion stores, clothing stores and shoe stores. Sport but Classic at the same time, and above all a quality heritage brand Made in UK. That was one of the secret for the return of NB at the feet of trendy consumers. The 991 became the Rolls Royce of the sneakers between fashion consumers, and above all between the young adult subtle consumers who wants to distinguish theirselves from the younger consumers who wear Onitsuka Tiger, Converse and other kind of brands and products.

Who do you think wears the 991?

Lots or Deejays from the most refined and trendy Radio like Radio DJ started wearing 991, and also lots of trendy adults like Montezemolo – President of Ferrari, Della Valle – President of Hogan and Tod’s and of Fiorentina FC, and De Laurentiis – President of Napoli’s Football Club and of the most important Italian Movie Production Company were shooted with 991 at their feet. In the cinemas 991 is one of the most seen shoes. At the feet of Richard Gere in a couple of movies, George Clooney in “Burn After Reading”, or at the feet of the young protagonist of 27 dresses, and so on…

What makes the 991 so different?

The 991 became in the last two years an Iconic Sneaker for that Target and if in the late 90ies the boom of NB was mainly linked to THE 574 now we can say that the renaissance of the brand happend thanks to THE 991. We also were able to maintain a clean distibution thanks to the TIERING System which every Sales Representative follows very carefully. So THE 991 is a Premium Shoe which can be found only in our Top Stores. The success of THE 991 grow quickly also thanks to the additional colours we added to the original basic line which was made up just of the Grey, Navy and Black.

What are the plans for the future of the 991?

For the next Fall/Winter season for example there will be three family of 991 in Italy:

-991 Luxury Full Leather made up using two different full grain premium leather in two typical winter colours: Dark Brown and Black

-991 Nubuck Metallic Nylon made up mixing tumbled nubuck with metallic nylon to match the actual trend of techy-jackets. In 4 colours: Dark Green, Brown, Dark Grey and Blue Navy.

-991 Suede Mesh where you can find the traditional grey, navy and black but also the dark grey, the mid brown, the fossil grey, the white and other new colours which became famous like the core ones.

For the Future we want to enrich THE 991 using new materials, like the mix of satin pigskin suede, limonta canvas and grain leather we will put in the Q110 Luxury TIER 1 of 991, and we are also working on a possible SMU designed by important shoe store like Tassinari, Bologna.

But we think that a part of the success of THE 991 is the fact that we never advertised it, because the young adult urban consumer (25-54 years old) likes the 991 because of its selective distribution and because it is a shoe for authentic cognoscenti who are able to appreciate the quality of materials and manufacturing, and the comfort of this shoe. We don’t want it at the feet of younger consumers who buy sneakers just for the trend, and thanks to the distribution and the productplacement we are doing, it will never happen.

Thank you a lot Nicola, for your time and all the informations.

Thank you! Enjoy the Bread & Butter and above all enjoy the fantastic town called Berlin!

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