How Zegna's $1,100 'Triple Stitch' Sneakers Supercharged Its Stock by 70%

Ever walked into a Zegna boutique, eyed those buttery slip-on sneakers with the three crossed straps, and thought, “Do I really need 1,100-dollar shoes?” Then you slip them on, feel the cloud-like Italian nubuck hug your foot, and suddenly… yeah, maybe you do. I’ve been there – debating between “practical” and “perfect” – and it turns out Zegna cracked the code on that inner monologue for millions.

This is the Triple Stitch sneaker. Launched quietly around 2019, it’s now the unofficial uniform of Wall Street power walks, Silicon Valley keynotes, and private-jet lounges. Tim Cook wears the beige pair. Jamie Dimon rocks the navy. Hugh Jackman’s been spotted in olive, and even Nicolas Cage gave them a shoutout. Andrew Ross Sorkin joked on CNBC: “They’re everywhere – Wall Street’s new Crocs, but make it Milan.” And get this: in 2025 alone, Zegna sold about 160 million dollars’ worth of them – roughly 10% of the brand’s total revenue.

One sneaker doing that? It’s the quiet luxury plot twist that sent Zegna’s stock soaring roughly 70% from 2024 lows, delivering about 28% returns over the past 12 months while peers like Burberry and Richemont lagged. How did a suitmaker’s family bet on “snoafers” rewrite its fortunes? Let’s break it down.

What makes the Triple Stitch so addictive

Zegna, the 110-year-old Italian house built on superfine wool suits, birthed Triple Stitch during the pandemic’s work-from-anywhere haze. No laces, no fuss – just premium suede or SECONDSKIN leather, flexible rubber soles, removable footbeds, and those signature triple elastic stitches. They’re dressy enough for boardrooms (pair with a Zegna suit), casual enough for weekends (jeans or chinos). Wall Streeters call them “Crocs with a trust fund”; The Wall Street Journal dubbed them the “most-worn shoes on private jets.”

Stats don’t lie: sales grew about 6x from 2019 to 2022, hitting that 160 million-dollar mark in 2025. At 1,100–1,300 dollars a pop (depending on color/leather), that’s roughly 130,000–145,000 pairs sold in a year – outselling many luxury competitors in the category. Copycats are everywhere now: Hermès Oran sandals at 800 dollars, Berluti slip-ons at 1,500, even The Row’s minimalist versions. But Zegna owns the blueprint.

Fat margins and smart strategy

Here’s the business brain: Triple Stitch is a high-margin hero. Footwear beats suits on profitability – quicker production, premium pricing, gateway appeal to younger buyers. Drop 1,100 dollars on sneakers? You’re primed for a 2,000-dollar shirt or 5,000-dollar jacket. CEO Gildo Zegna calls it “elevated price-mix”: fewer units, higher ASPs (average selling prices). In Q4 2025 earnings, DTC sales (88% of Zegna brand revenue) jumped 10%, with Triple Stitch explicitly named a driver alongside events and new stores.

Brand-wide: 2025 revenue hit 1.917 billion euros (up 1% YoY despite luxury headwinds), with the core Zegna label at 362 million euros in Q4 alone (+7%). Gross margins held strong at 66%, fueled by these sneakers and ready-to-wear. The stock, around 10 dollars now, rebounded from 6-dollar lows – a 75% lift – as analysts praised the “sneaker-led rejuvenation.”

Today's market: hot demand, resale premiums

Fast-forward to early 2026, and Triple Stitch remains a resale darling. Retail starts at 1,100 dollars for basics (beige nubuck low-tops), climbing to 1,300–1,500 dollars for high-shaft Vibram soles, Oasi cashmere inserts, or limited olives/tobaccos. But good luck getting retail – waitlists persist at flagships in NYC, Milan, and Dubai. On resale platforms like The RealReal or Grailed, fresh pairs fetch 1,400–1,800 dollars (20–40% premiums), while rare colors like "tobacco" or collab variants hit 2,000+ dollars. Used but pristine? Still 900–1,200 dollars. Demand skews 30–50-year-old professionals; supply stays tight via DTC and select boutiques. Even amid luxury slowdowns, they're holding value better than most sneakers.

A family’s slow-burn win

Zegna’s a fourth-gen family affair (fifth incoming), betting on “slow luxury” in a Shein world. Triple Stitch embodies it: artisanal, versatile, timeless. Valuation at 2.6 billion dollars trails Burberry’s 5 billion but laps Brunello Cucinelli’s growth story. In a sector down 5–10% overall, Zegna’s up – proof one clever product can flip the script.

Next time you see those three stitches on a finance bro’s feet, tip your hat. They’re not just shoes; they’re a masterclass in modern luxury.

Would you splurge? I might just have.