Month: February 2024

Stefania Lazzaroni

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You’ve been the Altagamma General Manager for over 10 years now: what has changed since then?

«Altagamma has changed, and so has the market. Altagamma has changed because when I joined the Foundation, it used to have approximately 67 members, while today there are 118 members which become over 140 companies if the partners are added, so it’s a larger community. But our list of activities has also grown longer: today we carry out awareness-raising initiatives as well, like the “Adopt a school” project dedicated to manufacturing products. But the entire industry has changed too. I like to remember that 10 years ago the industries represented in Altagamma – fashion, design, hospitality, jewelry and automotive – did not view the digital world as a cornerstone nor sustainability as a buzzword. Today, these are two pillars of the business, and not only in our industry».

“Marcolin entry in Altagamma is the perfect example of the fact that excellent manufacturing and savoir-faire must be part of our ecosystem”
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2024 opened up with the entry of Marcolin in Altagamma. What are the drivers of this new collaboration?

«The collaboration was born organically and spontaneously. Marcolin is an excellent Italian manufacturing company that was already working with many of our member brands, such as Tod’s, Zegna, Max Mara, Pucci, so in a way it was already part of our community: Altagamma tends to involve companies that are already intrinsically connected to our sector, so Marcolin had already earned its spot. Its entry is the perfect example of the fact that excellent manufacturing and savoir-faire must be part of our ecosystem».

3

Whispering, never shouting. It’s the manifesto of “quiet luxury” that is currently influencing many brands. Is this the trend for the next few years?

«The definition of luxury has always been a bit nomadic, it changes when customer values change and so the industry has to change along with them: cyclically, you go from quiet luxury to “screaming” luxury, depending on the seasons. Quiet luxury has been gaining popularity lately, and some brands interpret it in a very powerful way, but I would say that this alternation between explosive and sober luxury is in the nature of luxury itself. Perhaps, however, after the pandemic we all tend to be more attracted by sober, pragmatic and effective luxury: rather than a status symbol, it’s a style that expresses values that are consistent with our personality and with who we are».

Giuliano Calza

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From Italy to China and back, enjoying great international success. This is, in a nutshell, the story of GCDS (i.e. the acronym for “Giuliano Calza Design Studio”) founded by Giuliano and Giordano Calza in 2015. A fashion brand that, thanks to the design and skilful craftsmanship of its products, in less than ten years has conquered the heart of celebrities, influencers and large audience worldwide.

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From a streetwear brand to a new luxury icon: how did you stay true to your free, ironic and unconventional language?

«GCDS largely represents who I am: I was born and raised in Italy, but I also had the opportunity to define my language around the world. I think there is a lot of fear of self-expression, but my world exists for those who can understand it and who want to use it as a tool for amusement».

“my world exists for those who can understand it and who want to use it as a tool for amusement”
2

Today GCDS is one of the coolest brands on the international fashion scene: how did you win the trust of a varied community of celeb, such as Dua Lipa, Beyoncé and Sofia Loren?

«I think celebrities are genuinely interested in my world, I’ve become friends with some of them, because we share the same references.  This pushed me to believe in my creativity and in the fact that a product often becomes the key to a world of shared images and emotions».

“A product often becomes the key to a world of shared images and emotions”
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What’s the philosophy behind the new GCDS Eyewear collection?

«Eyewear is a must-have accessory for me, it’s one of the few accessories I always carry with me while travelling, in this order: a pair of black sunglasses, a coloured frame to wear on any occasion and a bold and playful design to add a twist to any plain look. This is my idea behind the GCDS eyewear collection by Marcolin».

“Eyewear is a must-have accessory for me”

ic! berlin: think with your own eyes

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28 years of history

You write it “ic! berlin” but you pronounce it the English way. It’s the innovative eyewear brand created in 1996 by eclectic Ralph Anderl (a designer, singer, photographer and musician) together with a couple of friends in a garage in Berlin. A cult brand in the 2000s (worn by celebrities of the caliber of Madonna, Brad Pitt or Dub Inc), it has grown exponentially ever since and today it has joined the Marcolin family. What’s its secret to success? Its clean-cut design, attention to detail and, most of all, temple material: screwless and weld-free ultra-lightweight spring steel obtained from a carbon-chromium-nickel alloy thanks to an innovative hinge system of which ic! berlin has the exclusivity. In other words, eyewear that is easy to disassemble and reassemble. Lightweight but at the same time very strong.

 

“What’s its secret to success? Its clean-cut design, attention to detail and, most of all, temple material”

Berlin spirit

Minimalist, elegant and Berlin understatement, ic! berlin eyewear today is exported all over the world (in addition to its headquarters in Berlin, the company has branches in Tokyo and New York City); therefore, products can no longer be manufactured in a small Berlin lab like in the early years. Hence the agreement with a company like Marcolin, which, true to the DNA of ic! berlin, translates the brand’s spirit into an attitude that enables people to express themselves and their style freely, without following trends.

The collections

It is precisely thanks to these strengths that, in addition to several international awards, ic! berlin earned the SILMO d’OR in 2008 and 2011. Today it showcases its collections including Classic, Custom Fit, Pure Elements, Silk and Silk Pure and Flexarbon (which uses aerospace technology) and some more designer capsules. Among them the brand also boasts a collaboration with Mercedes-Benz from 2020. All the frames are very much loved by free and creative spirits, eclectic and curious personalities, who know how to look at things from new perspectives. Just like the actor Daniel Brühl, brand ambassador announced for 2024, among the protagonists of the movie “All Quiet on the Western Front” which won 9 Oscar awards in 2023.

A new vision

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Customer focus

As customer expectations grow, so does customer focus. And customer and employee trust, loyalty and satisfaction become the new keywords. It’s the philosophy firmly embraced by Marcolin that, since 2021, has invested in a new Customer Experience Transformation program. This is the name of an ambitious process that introduces solutions that help learn more about customer needs: from the first time they get to know about Marcolin products to their path to purchase up to the support provided during the business relationship. A project that, after two years of hard work, reached its first milestone in 2023.

First results

«We started off with digital transformation, by introducing a CRM system aimed at tracing and improving all the customer interactions» explained Lorenza Biasin, who is Customer Experience Manager at Marcolin. «As regards customer touchpoints, for instance, we created a new e-commerce platform: it’s more than just a shopping site, it’s a gateway on services available 24/7 to meet the real needs of our customers. From the opportunity to chat with our Customer Service in case of an emergency to that of receiving information about their purchases in real time, such as the delivery route or time or processing status. We also provided our Customer Service with a technology that enables them to reply to customers faster and more comprehensively».

 

“we created a new e-commerce platform: it’s more than just a shopping site”

Directions

A key project that, however, is even more ambitious and challenging for Marcolin. «Since all the markets on which Marcolin operates were involved from day one, a variety of different needs were identified» continued Lorenza Biasin. «There are, for example, customers who prefer communicating with the company by email, others by way of agents and others by phone. In 2024 we will start measuring user response and we will further update the system to improve our partners’ experience». Taking country-specific elements into account and listening to customers, therefore, continue to be a priority, today and tomorrow.

Alessio Puleo

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To sum up the past year: what tools were implemented to support the growth of Marcolin’s brand portfolio globally?

«2023 was an amazing year: Marcolin continued the renovation path started in 2020, which allowed us to improve all the financial indicators. We signed a perpetual licensing agreement with TOM FORD Eyewear, finalized the acquisition of the German brand ic! berlin, entered a new partnership with MCM, and renewed the licensing agreement with Pucci, which is part of LVMH Group and a key brand for us. At this very moment, if I had to define our brand portfolio with two words, I would say: balanced and complementary. Balanced because our portfolio covers all the market clusters and customer needs; complementary because each brand has its own unique role and there is no risk of brands overlapping».

“Our portfolio covers all the market clusters and customer needs”.
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In this “hot” period of renewals, how do you approach licenses?

«In the first few months of 2024, we renewed some strategic license agreements for the Group, such as the ones with GCDS, ZEGNA and MAX&Co., and announced the debut in the eyewear segment of an iconic luxury brand such as Christian Louboutin. This was made possible thanks to our unique approach, which goes well beyond the typical licensor-licensee relationship: we consider our licensed brands as strategic partners with whom we can build long-term projects based on value creation, where brand equity is the fundamental principle that guides our daily actions.  Our partners also appreciate Marcolin’s unique ability to transpose their brand’s DNA into collections. And, last but not least, our manufacturing know-how allows us to create objects of extremely high quality».

“Our partners also appreciate Marcolin’s unique ability to transpose their brand’s DNA into collections”.
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What are the key targets for 2024? Should we expect any new entries or news?

«2024 will be an intense year in which we will strengthen the growth of our historic brands and finalize the launch of MCM for FW24 and of Christian Louboutin for SS25.”

What eyewear will we wear?

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Lightness & style

Let’s start with WEB Eyewear, which continues to be a much-loved brand, especially by under 40 customers, thanks to its decidedly urban and contemporary identity enhanced by transparent frames and a few iconic details. Just like the acetate sunglasses unveiled at MIDO, characterized by a truly unique design that nods to the 1930s buts looks to the future. Apart from WEB Eyewear, of the many brands presented by Marcolin, it is impossible not to mention the latest MAX&Co. collection and its new line of ultra-lightweight and vibrant frames, perfect for wearers who follow fashion trends but who are not afraid to play with color or Rock ‘n’ Roll inspired studded inserts.

latest MAX&Co. collection and its new line of ultra-lightweight and vibrant frames

Some details

The new offer includes the designs from the GUESS Eyewear collection, featuring the iconic chain and the embossed logo on a precious metal plaque, and the new squared sunglasses, which are destined to be the undisputed stars of the spring summer season. On the other hand, now that the 80’ are back in full swing (but updated to the present) here come the wraparound and asymmetric GCDS frames: a bold design for an unmistakable style.

About sport

Among the new products presented, adidas Eyewear is a true must-have. Like the shield design from the Competition line, featuring a rimless lens (presented in a version that reduces bright light and improves color perception), wraparound lines and shaped temples offering the best possible fit. The perfect eyewear for sports lovers. The Originals collection, instead, shines the spotlight on the new unisex adidas sunglasses. The design stands out for its very unique geometric front, while the metal temples make it the perfect choice also for the city. Buzzword: versatility.

Eyewear: the new luxury

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Crowded, lively and full of guests and news. This was the photograph of the 52nd edition of MIDO, one of the leading international exhibitions dedicated to eyewear, which has just come to an end at Rho Fiera, Milan. A prestigious event which, every year, attracts thousands of visitors: the ideal opportunity to present new products and focus on upcoming trends, like those of Marcolin in the luxury segment.

The novelties

It’s a must to start with Marcolin’s new house brand ic! berlin, young and highly innovative brand with German DNA which, since 1996, has been producing high quality frames in stainless steel and following a design that is screwless, and without glue or welding.  At MIDO, ic! berlin was present with the newest “Silk PURE”, an ultra-light and thin collection, designed with fine color options like aqua or mauve and a meticulous attention to details. Within Marcolin’s booth, TOM FORD Eyewear introduced a new and sophisticated oval frame with faceted rims, while ZEGNA presented its last novelty: “Orizzonte II”. In acetate and metal, the heir of “Orizzonte I” expresses the innovative elegance and distinctive sophistication of the brand through the 232 Road Brand Mark as well as the ZEGNA logo.

Trendy shapes

Marcolin also presented the new eyewear line from PUCCI, the iconic Maison known for its textures and colours, with its latest collection with a geometric design and elegant details such as the fishtail in the acetate front. Then, with the latest Max Mara collection oversized frames such as one with in acetate with a rounded butterfly front and bold rims were the protagonist. The new Maxim signifier is inserted on the bridge, embellishing the style with a gleaming, glamorous touch.