Italian Premium Golf Shoe Brand Duca del Cosma Acquired by Howsam Capital
Recently, Italian premium golf shoe brand Duca del Cosma announced that the brand has been acquired by Howsam Capital. Financial details were not disclosed.
Public information shows that Duca del Cosma was founded in 2004. The founders are a couple with design backgrounds: Antje Elle, who graduated from the Munich Academy of Fashion and Graphic Design, and Baldovino Mattiazzo, who studied fashion design in Florence. To date, Mattiazzo remains involved in the brand's shoe design.
Around 2016, footwear entrepreneur Frank van Wezel officially acquired Duca del Cosma and became its chairman. He once stated that Duca Del Cosma's products are inspired by the Italian lifestyle and produced with extreme attention to detail. Under his leadership, the brand sells in over 40 countries worldwide.
The official website shows that Duca del Cosma's products are typically priced around $200-250.
Upon completion of this transaction, Frank van Wezel will transition to a minority shareholder and brand ambassador, continuing to contribute to the brand's future development.
Howsam Capital was founded by British insurance company Staysure's founder Ryan Howsam (pictured below). Ryan Howsam is also a significant figure in the golf world, serving as the majority shareholder and chairman of the "Legends Tour" (Staysure Legends Tour), which brings together many legendary Ryder Cup stars and golf major champions, and all participants are 50 years of age or older.
Ryan Howsam said: "This is a significant acquisition for Howsam Capital. Golf is evolving into a far broader lifestyle and participation market, and we see a significant opportunity to build an integrated ecosystem that places the customer at the centre of every touchpoint — from media and tournament experiences through to retail, travel, resorts, apparel and equipment.
Duca del Cosma represents exactly the kind of premium brand we want within that ecosystem: authentic, differentiated and globally relevant. Our vision is to create a platform that better connects the modern golfer with the brands, experiences and communities they value most, and we believe this acquisition is another important step in that direction.”
Charles Blake-Thomas, CEO of Howsam Capital, believes that under new ownership, this premium brand has huge potential to expand into more markets:
"Duca del Cosma is a brand with genuine heritage, clear market positioning and a strong reputation for style and refinement within golf. What makes this acquisition particularly compelling is the structural fit within our wider ecosystem, where we can combine premium product, owned distribution channels and global golf audiences in a way that very few groups can replicate. The structural efficiencies created through those channels, alongside assets such as the Staysure Legends Tour, give us a unique ability to take the brand to market more effectively and accelerate growth whilst remaining true to the qualities that have made Duca del Cosma successful to date. It is a natural fit for our long-term strategy."
| Source: Official press release; Sports Illustrated;
| Image source: Official press release; Official website