K-Way names Marco D’Avanzo head of international business

K-Way has hired an outerwear expert to spearhead the next phase of its international expansion drive. The France-born brand, now owned by Italian group BasicNet, has recently appointed Marco D’Avanzo as chief international business officer.

D’Avanzo comes from Canadian high-end outerwear brand Moose Knuckles, which he joined in 2016 as executive vice-president global sales, based in Milan.

He will still be based in Milan in his new role at K-Way. In the course of his career, D’Avanzo has worked at Woolrich, Guess, Versace and Benetton, and has now joined a thriving, growing sportswear brand. 

K-Way is, alongside Kappa, one of the mainstays of BasicNet, which still holds a 60% stake in the brand, while the remaining 40% was acquired at the end of last year by investment firm Permira, via its Permira Growth Opportunities II investment fund. 

K-Way has a strong market position in Europe, notably in France and Italy, and is positioned in the premium segment. Last year, K-Way dropped a first collaboration with US label Ulla Johnson, which was showing in New York. Previous collaborations for K-Way include names like Play Comme des Garçons, Maison Kitsuné, Soeur, Diemme, Tiny Cottons and Agnès b. They have all contributed to boosting K-Way’s visibility, as it aims to enter new markets.

In 2024, BasicNet reported that the total business volume generated by its brands was in the region of €1.19 billion, three quarters of which was produced in Europe.