Image credit Gioseppo
In an industry defined by speed, saturation, and constant reinvention, few brands manage to hold their place — and their purpose — over decades. Gioseppo is one of them.
Founded in Elche, Spain, in 1991, the family-owned footwear brand has become a quiet powerhouse of Mediterranean style. Its footprint now extends across more than 80 countries and 7,000 points of sale, with a presence that balances heritage and innovation, family and fashion, craft and culture.
While many brands chase trends, Gioseppo has built longevity through something deeper: clarity of vision, respect for its roots, and a commitment to soul.
At the center of this evolution is Irene García Capilla, Chief Marketing Officer of Gioseppo, whose leadership has helped translate the brand’s Mediterranean identity into a global language.
In this edition of Behind the Brand, we explore Garcia’s view on heritage, storytelling, sustainability, and the future of footwear.
Gioseppo has remained relevant for decades in a highly competitive market. What has been the strategic principle guiding that consistency, and how has it evolved with changing consumer behavior?
Irene Garcia: “Gioseppo has been one of the main actors in Spanish and international footwear for the last 35 years. It initially started as a business model very focused on Wholesale with a strategy of international expansion through multi-brand points of sale.
The success has been taking care of the quality of the product and the quality of the service. The consolidation of this channel has allowed the group to pivot towards new channels, such as digital business or retail, with a very solid and secure base.
The compass that has always guided the group has been vision and innovation and, although always taking very safe steps, they have moved forward understanding both the needs of the market and those of the consumer.”
Image credit Gioseppo.
As a Spanish family brand with a strong heritage, how do you modernize your identity and product language without losing your original DNA?
Irene Garcia: “The most important thing is to understand that heritage very well and value it. These values inherited from both the owning family and the history of the brand must be respected above all else.
Modernizing or adapting to the market or trends does not have to change your DNA. It’s about evolving, not changing. In our case, we have done intense work in which we have studied that DNA and defined how it translates into the personality, style, tone, and identity of each brand in the group.
Our heritage is being a family, Mediterranean, and committed company. The Gioseppo brand is a close, warm, cheerful, colorful fashion brand that pays attention to detail and cares. And around that, we create a universe and work on an image that highlights and enhances our product, that suits our target, and that respects those values.”
Today, footwear isn’t just about comfort or fashion, it’s also a cultural statement. How does Gioseppo approach design and brand storytelling to connect emotionally with new generations?
Irene Garcia: “While it is true that our target is adult and not so focused on new generations, one of the premises we have at Gioseppo is to have soul. It is a mantra of our vice-president. It is totally forbidden to do anything without soul, anything that does not convey those feelings of closeness or Mediterranean style.
Our campaigns or our communication always have an emotional intentionality. From the choice of the brand color, which is reminiscent of clay — of one of the colors of the sunrise in the Mediterranean, of the earth — and which conveys calm and belonging, to any small copy on a social network is perfectly designed to transmit our values and appeal to the feelings of our target. Everything revolves around storytelling, both for the campaign and for the brand.”
Image credit Gioseppo.
Many brands talk about sustainability, but few integrate it deeply into their strategy. How does Gioseppo turn sustainability into a true growth driver, beyond marketing?
Irene Garcia: “In our group, sustainability is very present but it is not part of our communication pillars. Many people are surprised when they visit our offices because, despite having been built almost 20 years ago, their design is sustainable. It was very innovative at the time and it remains so today.
Within the group, there are great initiatives around sustainability, but currently, it is not one of our sales drivers, but something deeply internalized in our day-to-day operations and in our processes. We do give visibility to these initiatives through a corporate communication strategy, but not as a sales lever.”
The line between physical retail and digital experience is increasingly blurred. How is Gioseppo reimagining its retail ecosystem — from stores to social commerce — to strengthen the connection with consumers?
Irene Garcia: “The retail ecosystem is the group’s true growth lever. A group so consolidated in the multi-brand channel has a great opportunity in its proprietary channels. We are at a moment of great evolution and are very focused on growing and creating our own experience, first digitally and then in our own stores.
We are aware that this experience is the brand’s true showcase, where we can convey our soul and vision to the consumer. The project must respect our brand universe and identity but clearly understand what is expected from each space or channel and adapt it accordingly. The customer does not expect the same thing from an e-commerce platform as from a physical mono-brand point of sale or a small corner, but the brand must be coherent and credible and must transmit our values.”
Looking ahead to the next five years, what do you believe will define the most successful footwear brands — innovation, community, collaborations, or something else entirely?
Irene Garcia: “I believe that currently, the feeling of belonging is increasingly weighing on the consumer’s decision. Obviously, in footwear, quality and design will always be fundamental, but one thing attracts the public and another thing retains them. The feeling of belonging, the community, attracts and encourages you to approach and buy that brand. Quality makes you stay, it fosters loyalty.
A good product experience is what makes brands like Gioseppo not just a passing fad but a benchmark brand. Collaborations, for me, mainly help build the brand, by associating yourself with those who share your values and reaching new communities. Today, whoever doesn’t collaborate is very out. However, the world is moving so fast now that we don’t know what it will be like in five years, but what I do know is that we must be alert and ready to adapt and embrace change.”
Behind the Brand is a new Unmtchd. series spotlighting the marketing minds and creative leaders shaping the next era of fashion, sports, and culture — the people redefining what it means to build brands with meaning, not just momentum.
Each edition uncovers the strategy, vision, and soul behind some of today’s most interesting companies — and what other brand builders can learn from them.
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