Move over Prada: Millennials can't get enough of Koio, an Italian sneaker company that sells luxury shoes for a fraction of the cost

Koio

What do millennials want from their footwear?

It's a question that Johannes Quodt and Chris Wichert have explored ever since they booked a one-way ticket to Italy in 2014 with the quest of creating a shoe tailored to the taste of today's up-and-comers.

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Millennials, Quodt and Wichert know, are discerning shoppers. They demand quality from the brands they buy from, but they're also drawn to companies that deliver up unfeigned authenticity both in their business practices and their products.

In other words: You can't make it on the luxury sneaker market in the internet age by faking it.

Quodt and Wichert are the extremely German, extremely tall, extremely business-savvy duo behind Koio, a new luxury line of sneakers that's selling premium footwear for a fraction of the cost. A pair of Koios will run you around $250. For reference, a similar quality of shoe from a designer like Gucci or Prada might cost anywhere between $500 and $1,000. 

Here's how Koio can sell a premium product at a marginal price and still turn a profit: