Diadora

For the beetle genus, see Diadora (genus).
Diadora
Private
Industry
Founded Italy (1948)
Founder Marcello Danieli
Headquarters Caerano di San Marco, Italy
Area served
 Worldwide
Key people
  • Marcello Danieli
  • Mario Moretti Polegato
Products
Owner Geox S.p.A.
Website www.diadora.com

Diadora is an Italian football, tennis, running, cycling, rugby, athletic shoe, clothing, and fashion accessory manufacturer with locations in Italy, the United States, and Hong Kong.

History

Diadora Mythos Axeler, 2009

Diadora is the only Italian athletic footwear and apparel manufacturer to still make some of its products in Italy, a tradition that began in 1948 when the company's founder, Marcello Danieli, first began working in the trade as a young boy.

Danieli, helped by his wife, managed to successfully launch his first product, mountain climbing boots.[1] During the 1950s, a reputation for excellence and quality helped the company grow and become a familiar name throughout the Italian market.

During the economic boom of the 1960s, people began to enjoy prosperity and increased recreation. Skiing became popular and Danieli once again met the needs of the market by manufacturing ski boots and the first apres-ski boots.

Next, Diadora introduced running shoes and shortly thereafter, tennis shoes. With the 1970s came a young generation whose explosive interest in athletics initiated a boom in the sporting goods industry. Based originally on the renowned Italian artisan techniques, Diadora's shoes became more and more technologically advanced, thanks to cooperation from champions such as Guillermo Vilas, Martin Mulligan and Björn Borg.

The mid-'70s also marked Diadora's entry into the football category, aided by Roberto Bettega, who both provided invaluable consulting information. Diadora America is the #3 brand in the market share in football (soccer).

Diaroda had and currently have a number of high-profile football players under there sponsorship such as; George Weah, Roberto Baggio, Giuseppe Signori, Francesco Totti, Roy Keane and Antonio Cassano.

On 30 June 1998, Invicta, an outdoor athletics equipment company, was acquired by Diadora.

In 2007, Diadora signed a contract with football club NK Dinamo Zagreb, Croatia. Sheffield Wednesday F.C. wore kits for several seasons in the mid 2000s. Maccabi Netanya and Beitar Jerusalem also wore kits for several seasons in the mid to late 2000s.[2][3]

Agreement

In 2008, Diadora SpA signed a joint venture with Win Hanverky Holdings Limited forming a new company called Winor International Company Limited that owns the trademark "DIADORA" in China, Hong Kong, and Macau and will manufacture, design, promote, distribute, and sell products bearing the "DIADORA" in those countries.[4]

In June 2009, Diadora reached an agreement with Italian shoe-making company Geox's founder and chairman Mario Moretti Polegato to buy its assets through his family's investment arm, LIR.[5]

See also

Excludes articles found in Category:Sportswear brands.

Notes and references

External links

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