Geox's New Formula

After two decades, Geox - which is back in the Nevada desert at FN Platform in Las Vegas this week - is amping up its focus on the U.S., which has been a challenging market to crack As Geox works to develop the business, it is tapping into the expertise of key hires who understand the intricacies of the American consumer. (The wine side of the business is run by Polegato's brother, Giancarlo Moretti Polegato.) Geox's headquarters incorporates laboratories where the shoes are conceived and subjected to rigorous testing procedures, plus a pilot center with the capacity to produce 10,000 pairs of shoes a year. (Penske is also the chairman and CEO of FN's parent company.) U.S. retailers are bullish on the brand's growth potential stateside. Which retailers are you targeting and how will you differentiate the brand from others on the retail sales floor? MM: "We already have a strong relationship with Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's, and are also speaking to Saks.