Even though it was decades ago, tracking back to the late ’80s and early ’90s, Italian footwear brand Diadora was a fixture in sneaker culture throughout the States. However, though, in efforts to focus their attention on its European consumer base, their presence in the U.S. faded gracefully, leaving a lasting impression on countless footwear enthusiast and industry purists alike.
Through reliance on existing brand heritage placed squarely within the realm of tennis, soccer and a historic running legacy, culturally transcendent athletes like Björn Borg, Guillermo Vilas, Ben Johnson and Edwin Moses not only dominated their respective sports in the aforementioned era, their excellence in Diadora footwear placed a stamp on the brand for decades to come. Among the few, true heritage brands in sportswear, Diadora has used that fuel to regain their footing in the U.S. market in 2015.
Leaning on retro running gems like the N.9000, Titan II, B. Elite and the Camaro, alongside past influence from the Maverick and Derby, Diadora embraces the competitive nature of sneaker culture through individuality, refined aesthetics and unparalleled craftsmanship. Models like the “Made in Italy” S.8000 are poised to impose upon the fall season with premium makeups, including dark denim and brown mushroom iterations.
As seen in the first and second quarters of 2015, the N.9000 will play a critical role in the brand’s seasonal approach this fall. Originally and continually crafted in premium suede with new models constructed in mesh and neoprene fabrication, Diadora does inline better than most, as referenced by the constant influx of highly revered N.9000s and Titan IIs.
With one look at Diadora’s forthcoming fall/winter 2015 collection, it’s easy to see why their repositioning Stateside has been seamless and almost unseen by the naked eye. And with more collaborations to come as told by North American Brand Director, Dre Hayes, their profile continues to rise not only in the U.S., but globally where they keenly release a controlled selection of sneakers to avoid over flooding the market. For a brand like Diadora, exclusivity is key. But at the rate things are going, that may prove difficult in the months to come – a problem any brand welcomes with open arms.
Get a preview of Diadora’s Fall 2015 lineup as previewed at Agenda Show Long Beach in the photos below.
