“Sustainability? Big brands must lead the way”, says Andrea Orsella, business development manager of Mondeox, a company based in Casella d’Asolo (Treviso) and founded in 1993 by the Florian family. In 2003 the company, which specializes in the production of shoes for its own brand and for third parties in the outdoor and accident segment,...
On 13 March, Kering announced that Demna Gvasalia will be Gucci’s next creative director. The designer, who currently holds the same position at Balenciaga, will leave in July to take the reins at the Florentine fashion house. You know that emoji with wide eyes, an open mouth, and hands on the face that we all […]
After years of animal rights and vegan-led anti-fur campaigns, many have declared it dead. Yet the truth emerging from the catwalks is that fur remains very much alive. Certainly, many brands retreat into the (more affordable) comfort zone of synthetic imitations. Others, to avoid alienating certain sections of the public, opt for hair-on hides such […]
APLF closes its 2025 edition without dispelling all market doubts (but, perhaps, that was too much to ask). Around the booths at the Hong Kong fair (March 12-14), there were plenty of buyers and visitor traffic, especially on the first two days. But as far as sales’ feedback, as we said yesterday, time is needed...
The value of time, not that of duties. Creating a Pellettieri di Parma shoe requires more than 180 steps and a 21-day production process—from cutting the upper to the final inspection—with an eight-day fitting period. “But conveying all this and helping consumers understand it is not easy”, says Giuseppe Zenoni (pictured), CEO of the brand,...
The VenetoDoc brand wants to go beyond regional borders. Born in 2020 to cope with the consequences of the pandemic, and support Veneto-based producers, the project has gradually welcomed new partners and launched new products. “Now the time has come to grow it, and take it outside our region”, says Luana Vendramini (in photo), CEO...
A turning point at Paris Fashion Week, which runs until 11 March, where the Autumn-Winter 2025/2026 collections are taking their turn on the runway. On Sunday, two brands that frequently take centre stage were in the spotlight. At midday, Alessandro Michele presented his new collection for Valentino, Le Méta-Théâtre des Intimités, in which he explores...
The curtain fell on Paris Fashion Week, held from 3 to 11 March. The opening of the day saw Chanel take centre stage, presenting an entirely archival collection curated by its style department. Matthieu Blazy, who was appointed creative director last December, will unveil the first fruits of his labour in October. A different story...
We still do not know whether Jonathan Anderson will leave Loewe to explore other opportunities. By other opportunities, we mean Dior – given that Maria Grazia Chiuri’s departure now seems imminent. What is certain is that his latest collection, presented on Monday in Paris as an introspective journey through Loewe, feels like the most romantic...
The EU wants to impose duties on U.S. imported “leather goods” from April. Of what value? It’s not yet known. The move is part of the response the European Commission filed this morning, March 12, to coincide with the entry into force of U.S. 25% duties on aluminum and steel imports. Starting April 1, Brussels […]
Zegna moves from words to action. At the end of last October, during the Milan Fashion Global Summit 2024, Ermenegildo ‘Gildo’ Zegna, CEO of the Zegna Group, expressed his ambition to establish a leather supply chain – just as the group has done for textiles. Among the planned investments is a new production plant in...
Terraferma is in search of stability. It sounds like a paradox, and yet Emanuele Battaglia (in photo), a key entrepreneur of the footwear company, after a stable 2024, wants to consolidate business in 2025. The Cassola-based (Vicenza) company, which makes leather sandals for summer and winter slippers, is facing rising labor costs abroad. The business...
Akman seeks a breakthrough in 2025. The sneaker brand has its operational headquarters in Ponte San Nicolò (Padua, Italy) and is headed by Black Kube Studios. Created in 2023, they have already selected it among the six most promising Made in Italy startups during Pitti Uomo 105 (January 9-12, 2024), as well as for the...
PrimeAsia Leather, a Chinese tanning group, has announced the completion of its expansion project in Vietnam. The new facility will increase the group’s monthly production capacity to 8 million square feet, or approximately 740,000 square metres. Thus, despite the economic downturn, PrimeAsia is not only investing but also renovating one of its largest factories. A […]
After the release of its financial statements, Salvatore Ferragamo’s stock sank on the stock market, dragging the luxury sector down with it. On Thursday afternoon, the Florentine company released its final figures for 2024: a year that ended with a drop in sales and, above all, posting a loss. The Ferragamo family is looking for […]
Even Kazakhstan is slowing down. The rapid business growth recorded in recent years led to a record number of 86 Italian companies and 100 brands exhibiting at La Moda Italiana@Almaty (5-7 March). However, the latest statistics and exhibitors’ opinions indicate a slowdown in growth. The event The Italian fashion supply chain exhibited in Kazakhstan from...
With a ceremony held together with local authorities (in photo), Pasubio opens in Mexico its 13th factory. The Italian tanning holding company, owned by the PAI fund since 2021, has invested $13 million (about 12.4 million euros) in the PILBA industrial park in Guanajuato in a plant to produce and cut leather for car interiors. […]
The story of Ho’op is the story of a successful change of course. The made-in-Italy trainers brand had entered the market with a price tag that was too high; when it recalibrated its offering, it found the key to success in an overcrowded market. Ho’op’s story Riccardo Chiacchiera (now 36) and Emanuele Formentini (33) were...
Is the future of luxury in India? What must brands do to secure a share of this growing market? Mohit Khanna (pictured), COO of Nappa Dori (200 employees, 12 shops worldwide), one of India’s leading contemporary design brands – founded in 2010 by leather enthusiast Gautam Sinha – shares his insights in this interview. The...
Shoe sales in the US plummet. Mexican shoemakers fear they are no longer competitive. Walmart demands discount from its Chinese suppliers. The shadow of tariffs was enough to trigger panic in North America, and U.S. retailers are relying on technology and artificial intelligence to keep up with the ever-changing market (and their president). A shadow...
