Case study

Donna Carolina. Bringing a 1957 heritage brand into global D2C, with a modern growth framework.

Partner since: March 2025
Scope: Strategy, assortment, creative, performance
Links: Website Instagram

Woman in a grey coat and wide trousers sitting on a green velvet sofa.

About

Donna Carolina is an Italian women’s footwear brand with roots tracing back to 1957, known for its blend of craftsmanship, comfort and timeless design.

The family-run label combines high-quality materials, careful construction and elegant silhouettes to create shoes that are both everyday wearable and classically stylish.

Challenge

Donna Carolina was once considered one of the most influential footwear brands in the German-speaking market.

For decades, the brand was rooted in wholesale and traditional shoe retail, supported by strong craftsmanship and distribution. With the rise of e-commerce and social media, the market shifted. Digital-native brands built direct consumer relationships and scaled online. Donna Carolina, while established offline, had not yet built a structured D2C ecosystem. The challenge was to reposition the brand from classic wholesale footwear to a lifestyle-driven premium label with a competitive direct-to-consumer presence.

Approach

To build and scale the D2C business, Donna Carolina partnered with us to establish a strategic digital foundation.

We began by repositioning the brand within the modern footwear landscape and creating the basis for brand awareness and online scale. From there, we built a structured growth setup combining positioning, content and performance marketing to develop a sustainable direct-to-consumer model.

Results

+86 %

Online revenue growth, Q3 2026 vs Q3 2025

22 %

Revenue share from email, Q3 2026

−35 %

Cost per order, Q3 2026 vs Q3 2025

Shootings

Model in a black suit and black ankle boots lounging on a green velvet sofa

Fall/Winter 2026/27 · Düsseldorf

Studio campaign in Düsseldorf

Model in tan trench coat and gold flats.

Spring/Summer 2026 · Studio

Studio lookbook

Woman in brown blazer and skirt with gloves

Fall/Winter 2025/26 · Frankfurt

Campaign in Frankfurt

Woman in yellow dress stands by a cafe with flowers.

Spring/Summer 2025 · Milan

Campaign in Milan

Projects

01Creator content07/2025 – today
02Social media advertising06/2025 – today
03CRM and Klaviyo05/2025 – today
04Shop03/2025 – today
05Packaging and color system05/2025 – 06/2025
06Positioning03/2025 – 04/2025

Woman walking in city street by traffic and buildings

07/2025 – today

Creator content. Real-world moments that make the brand tangible.

Donna Carolina had a sharpened positioning and a new campaign look, but the Italian footwear brand still lacked everyday presence: its shoes on real people, in real places, worn with personality.

With selected creators from our network, we produce authentic, wearable scenarios that put attitude, movement and everyday relevance before staged perfection. The videos also run in modular sections of the Shopify store.

Result

1,300+

ads tested since May 2025

Woman in jeans and silver flats with an iced coffee on a city street.

Metallic sandals, tan bag, and iced coffee.

Woman with blonde hair wearing jeans and silver flats sitting on steps.

Woman in beige blazer and flats with coffee.

Denim vest and jeans outfit with coffee.

Woman in a white lace skirt with a black bag and a magazine.

06/2025 – today

Social media advertising. Instagram as the primary acquisition channel of the D2C relaunch.

When Donna Carolina, a footwear brand with roots in 1957, moved from wholesale to selling directly to consumers, it needed a channel that builds awareness and brings new customers into its own shop. Instagram became that channel.

Our ads lead with distinctive silhouettes, premium materials and Italian-inspired imagery that convey attitude and heritage within seconds. Instead of explaining every product detail, they create desire and guide a broader European audience into a conversion-optimized Shopify store.

Result

+73 %

new customers, Q3 2026 vs Q3 2025

3.1

return on ad spend (Meta), Q3 2026

Golden Donna Carolina sandals on stone walkway.

Blue suede loafers in a Donna Carolina ad

05/2025 – today

CRM and Klaviyo. Lifecycle flows and a campaign calendar as an owned channel.

Moving from wholesale to direct-to-consumer, Donna Carolina needed a channel of its own: one that drives recurring revenue and customer loyalty without depending on paid media.

We set up Klaviyo with all core automations, from welcome, abandoned cart and checkout flows to post-purchase and back-in-stock messages. A campaign calendar aligned with collection drops and seasonal highlights keeps the brand present between purchases.

Result

+136 %

email revenue, Q3 2026 vs Q3 2025

Donna Carolina boots: back-in-stock notification

03/2025 – today

Shop. Relaunched with HEXWHITE in spring 2025, developed continuously since.

Donna Carolina’s move into direct-to-consumer needed a modern online store, and fast: the partnership began in March 2025, with the launch planned for April.

Together with HEXWHITE, we rebuilt the store on Shopify on a proven theme framework, customized to the brand’s new positioning and identity. New modular sections, including creator videos, add storytelling and a contemporary, lifestyle-driven feel. Since the launch, we have kept developing the store.

Result

+99 %

orders, Q3 2026 vs Q3 2025

Donna Carolina homepage with the claim Unapologetically Italian. Since 1957.

05/2025 – 06/2025

Packaging and color system. A muted, earthy palette and a box that carries the brand claim.

Donna Carolina’s previous visual system lacked distinctiveness and emotional depth. To make the Italian footwear brand recognizable at every touchpoint, it needed a lasting color system and packaging that speaks for the brand.

We developed a muted palette of earthy greens, cool neutrals, soft stone tones and deep charcoal: architectural, understated and confident instead of seasonal trend colors. On the box, the claim “Unapologetically Italian. Since 1957.” is set in bold type, turning the packaging into a brand statement rather than a transport unit.

The result is one coherent system from shop to box that strengthens recognition across every customer interaction.

Donna Carolina color palette in six tones

Donna Carolina box with the claim Unapologetically Italian. Since 1957.

Donna Carolina product packaging with Italian slogan.

03/2025 – 04/2025

Positioning. “Unapologetically Italian. Since 1957.” connects origin with attitude.

Donna Carolina, an Italian women’s footwear brand with roots in 1957, was perceived as a traditional retail brand. To grow in direct-to-consumer, it needed a modern, lifestyle-driven identity rooted in its heritage.

We sharpened the brand’s position in the premium footwear market and condensed it into the claim “Unapologetically Italian. Since 1957.” The claim pairs authentic Italian craftsmanship with confidence and contemporary relevance. Rather than competing on price or trends, the brand stands for a distinct point of view.

The positioning now guides communication, content and performance marketing, and sets Donna Carolina apart from more conservative footwear brands.