Pedro Sánchez's €88 Joma Parka at Davos Sells Out

The €88 Joma parka worn by Sánchez in Davos

Davos, zero degrees, and a prime minister stepping out of a car in a black polyamide anorak. On the chest, a slanted white J; on the label, a reference anyone can buy: 101697.100. Pedro Sánchez thus arrived at his meeting with Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins, accompanied by the Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Function, José Luis Escrivá. The coat is the Joma Islandia III, costs €88 on the brand's online store, and as of this discussion, was nearly sold out in all sizes.

The scene occurs where unbranded Loro Piana and five-figure down jackets are expected. Hence the noise. Gesture of austerity, wardrobe clumsiness, or precise marketing?

What is the Joma Islandia III parka and how much does it cost?

It is a 3/4 cut anorak, down-style, with a zipper and buttons, hood, elastic cuffs, and exterior and interior pockets. It is lined with polar fabric, is windproof and waterproof, and its construction is 100% polyamide. On Joma's online store, it appears under reference 101697.100 with a price of €88, a figure that places it in the antipodes of the garments seen at that summit.

The commercial effect, in any case, is already achieved. There is no campaign, no ambassador, and no discount: a short shot in the right place suffices.

From eight employees in Portillo de Toledo to 120 countries

The brand was born in 1965 in Portillo de Toledo, a town of about two thousand inhabitants, with eight employees and a founder, Fructuoso López, who remains president. Four years later, it installed its first assembly line, built a 500 m² factory, and employed twenty people. In the eighties, the 2,000 m² plant arrived, the staff rose to 70, and the company debuted at the ISPO fair in Munich. In 1987, it developed a new suspension system for its boots and signed its first two sponsorships: Martín Vázquez and Francisco.

Then came Butragueño, Txiki Beguiristáin, Fermín Cacho's gold medal in the 1,500 meters at Barcelona 92, and leadership in soccer boot sales. The third factory, the current headquarters, occupies 65,000 m² and grew from 300 employees. Today, the firm is present in more than 120 countries, maintains ten subsidiaries —Spain, Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Mexico, Norway, Denmark, China, and Russia— and presents itself as the first Spanish sports brand. At Rio 2016, it clothed 10% of Olympic athletes.

Attending a summit in polyamide: the wardrobe reproach

The most repeated reproach is not against the brand, but against the combination. Formal suit, synthetic technical coat: in the judgment of many comments, the result clashes. The argument is that if one wants to promote Spanish product, a custom-made wool coat from a tailor would serve better, and that the chosen garment has an anonymous design that without a logo would pass as generic.

In response, it is argued that most padded jackets seen on the street have synthetic filling, that quality down warms almost as effectively as antiestéticathers, and that it can get wet without clumping. It is also recalled that, with an expensive wool coat, the criticism would have been the opposite. The discussion, in essence, is about what is considered serious in the eyes of others.

The gift of sneakers to Madrid and the Davos showcase

There is a preceding episode that fits poorly with improvisation. During the pandemic, the Madrid City Half Marathon, sponsored by Joma, was canceled, and the firm distributed 600 pairs of sneakers to healthcare workers in hospitals in the Community of Madrid. One participant recalls that the regional president posed with them. It was not the first time the brand placed product where it is watched.

Hence, part of the analysis suspects a studied operation. A widely shared post added €54,293 to the price of the garment, without any breakdown. Others argue that Joma buys standardized garments, adds a logo, and sells them, and that the same parka can be found unbranded for a few euros. The company, in its corporate memory, states the opposite: it invests in product and technology rather than advertising because its products must be its best commercial strategy.

What remains when the coat sells out

The measurable result is a spike in demand for an €88 anorak and a Toledo-based brand with sixty years of history placed in all conversations. Whether it was intuition, calculation, or simple coincidence, the available material does not allow closing the case. And that is exactly where the analysis gets stuck: no one can prove the intent, but the showcase is already paid for.