Merrell boosts Italy performance to reach 300 clients

US footwear brand Merrell is celebrating its 45th anniversary by stepping up the pace of its growth in Italy, driven by a brand-first strategy based on its ‘It Starts Outside’ global platform. In 2023, Merrell opened a subsidiary in Italy, opting for a direct presence that puts the emphasis on brand experience, ensuring consistency, greater consumer engagement, and more effective alignment between the product range, marketing activations, and retail execution.

This approach, combined with a constant search for innovation (based on actionable insights from athletes and consumers), led Merrell to double consumer sales in the trail running segment in Italy between 2024 and 2025. Sales for the outdoor category as a whole grew 30%, outperforming a market that is growing at an annual rate of approximately 2%. It’s currently one of the fastest-growing brands in Italy in its segment, having increased its retail presence from 25 clients to over 300 in just three years.
 
Merrell’s strategy has enabled the brand to exceed €200 million in revenue in Europe, and gain leadership positions in key markets such as France, the UK and Spain.

Product-wise, in trail running it’s spotlighting performance with the Agility Peak 6 shoes, firmly positioned in the ultra-performance segment and developed with extensive feedback from the brand’s community of athletes. Next up will be the launch of MTL SpeedARC Peak, Merrell’s first trail running shoes featuring a carbon plate, created in collaboration with elite athlete Frédéric Tranchant.

In the hiking segment, the iconic Moab line is still Merrell’s benchmark model. In lifestyle, the 1TRL line embodies a modern heritage positioning, blending the brand’s performance heritage with contemporary design. Collaborations with culturally relevant partners have enabled it to reach new audiences, as shown by the products developed with Gramicci and Dime in 2025, while collaborations with Sandy Liang and Snow Peak are scheduled in 2026.
 
Merrell was founded in the USA in 1981 by Randy Merrell, a renowned cowboy boots maker in Utah, who joined forces with two former Rossignol executives, Clark Matis and John Schweizer. Their goal was to create high-performance yet affordable hiking shoes. In 1985, it launched one of the first models of Gore-Tex hiking boots, consolidating its image as innovation pioneer. In the 2000s, the brand expanded into lifestyle, introducing the popular Jungle Moc models, and trail running shoes like the Moab.

In 1997, it was acquired by US footwear group Wolverine Worldwide (WW). In Q1 2026, ended on April 4, WW’s revenue rose 11% to $457.6 million (€392.8 million), driven by solid performances by Merrell and Saucony.

Merrell’s revenue increased 12.7% to $169.7 million, while Saucony’s grew 20.1% to $155.9 million. Revenue for the Wolverine brand dropped 2.5% to $36.4 million, while Sweaty Betty posted a 1.5% rise to $38.6 million. In fiscal 2025, total revenue for WW, which is based in Rockford, Michigan, grew 6.8% to $1.874 billion.