Vibram Looks to Capture New Generation of Consumers

Vibram, the premium shoe sole producer and performance footwear brand based in Italy, is making a push for renewed awareness. The company last year brought on Fabrizio Gamberini, formerly U.S. chief executive officer for eyewear giant Marcolin, as its U.S. president and global chief brand officer. Now relocated to Vibram’s U.S. headquarters outside Boston, Gamberini is putting his own mark on the company’s Stateside business. On May 17, Gamberini along with Vibram’s owners the Bramani family, marked the opening of a new 4,000-square-foot experiential store situated in the middle of Boston University’s campus at 840 Commonwealth Ave. While Vibram has a marked presence in the U.S. as the exclusive producer of shoe soles for the U.S. military, the company now hopes to grow its resonance among young people. Its new store is intended to help increase awareness among local Millennials and serve as something of a talent incubator for BU’s engineering students. The company operates a Massachusetts manufacturing plant that employs some 300 individuals who fulfill Vibram’s U.S. military contract. “Boston is very wealthy with colleges spread throughout city. The young population is around 255,000 students in Boston plus normal residents. The colleges are pretty experimental with fashion, we know they are trend

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