Alessia Voltan

1

After the inevitable downturn in 2020-21, how has the Travel Retail scenario changed in terms of luxury?

«In Travel Retail this segment has shown resilience and a great ability to recover, even though with different rhythms based on the different regions, from EMEA to APAC and America.  This year at Marcolin we have experienced stable growth in all our luxury brands, such as TOM FORD, Zegna, Max Mara. The potential of this segment is also proven by the investments that we’ve made recently, such as the acquisition of our new house brand ic! berlin, the launch of the ultra-exclusive TOM FORD Icon brand and the debut of a super-luxury brand like Christian Louboutin in early 2025».

Alessia Voltan
2

How is the digital revolution – from artificial intelligence to virtual reality – an asset for Luxury Retail?

«The digital revolution is undoubtedly also changing the luxury retail scenario. Because it enables greater interaction between brands and their customers through several non-physical touchpoints, such as retail websites, social media accounts or apps. So, travelers can interact with the brand before, during and after their trip.  But another important aspect is that the digital world allows for the creation of unique experiences, for example, it enables customers to virtually try on products or, thanks to data analysis, to receive tailored advice.  However, it’s important to us at Marcolin that our customers continue to also enjoy a physical luxury brand experience.  That’s why, for example, we invest in creating high-quality pop-ups or very attractive displays».

TFWA 2024
3

Digital natives, nomads and polyglots: this is the identikit of Gen Z. In what direction are they going?

«As Generation Z gradually becomes a dominant segment in the luxury industry, brands will have to adjust, or even anticipate their preferences and values. This generation is very sensitive to sustainability, diversity and inclusion, so brands will not only need to offer high-quality products, but they will also need to make them as sustainable as possible. Gen Zers are also extremely focused on uniqueness and experience, so meeting this need is also key.  At Marcolin, for instance, we created exclusive collections for the Travel Retail channel to meet the younger generations’ need for unique products».

Alessia Voltan

Traveling with Marcolin

40 Years in Flight

Since 1984, the year the Tax Free World Association was founded, a great deal has changed. This was the topic discussed at the annual event organized in Cannes by TFWA, the association that brings together more than 500 members including duty-free operators, product and service providers and travel agencies. That is, the actors who greet all of us when we pass through major airports around the world. Just like Marcolin. And if traveling – in terms of destinations, duration and solutions, as well as types of travelers – has changed greatly, it is important for companies to anticipate the best solutions to be provided.

Cannes, TFWA 2024

The Technology Asset

When Millennials and Gen Z, i.e. today’s 30- to 40-year-olds, travel – whether for work, study or pleasure – they want to do so without intermediaries or difficulties. And more tech-savvy and demanding than the travelers of 40 years ago, they want to be able to customize their experience with small, convenient and tailored solutions, an option made possible by digital technology. A scenario that has also changed tax-free shopping at airports, a paradigm of the non-place in the contemporary era. That is why large international companies, such as Marcolin, offer easy and pleasant shopping services that can help improve the travel experience of millions of people around the world.

Cannes, TFWA 2024

New Services

One of the most interesting new features is that it is now possible to have a shopping experience at any time, even before arriving at the airport, thanks to apps that allow you to view offers and customize your purchase before finalizing it on the spot. For example, you can choose your new eyewear from the comfort of your home, picking from the wide selection offered by the many brands in Marcolin’s portfolio, such as TOM FORD, ZEGNA, Max Mara or Guess and, starting next year, Christian Louboutin. Eyewear to buy at duty free shops and show off at your destination.

Cannes, TFWA 2024

Richard Quinn and MAX&Co.

1970s Eclecticism

Nodding to the Seventies but with a lightweight, super-contemporary twist, the new eyewear is the star of the “MAi.”capsule collection created by talented fashion designer Richard Quinn in collaboration with MAX&Co. Wraparound, rounded and surprisingly austere for a designer who has made color exuberance and floral motifs – perhaps combined with stripes or polka dots – his signature style. But Quinn’s eclecticism is also his strength, which allowed him to move effortlessly from designing the dramatic stage costumes of pop stars like Lady Gaga to the formal atmosphere of a Gala dinner with the British Royal family (when Elizabeth II presented him with an award during the 2018 London Fashion Week); so why be surprised?

MAX&Co. with Richard Quinn Sunglasses

Soft lines

The sunglasses from the new Eyewear collection are also very impactful, perfectly in line with the floral and geometric patterns and amazing materials featured in the capsule collection designed by Richard Quinn for MAX&Co. A wraparound rounded front plays with color contrasts on the profiles and temples, decorated with the brand’s ever-present iconic elements in high relief. A frame that expresses a perfect synthesis of vision and concreteness in a trendy and glamorous design.

Max&Co. A/W 2024 Collection

Excellence and creativity

The “MAi.” collection by Richard Quinn confirms the curious spirit of a contemporary fashion brand like MAX&Co., which has always strived to identify the most innovative talents and that, every season, introduces interesting collaborations with emerging designers from all over the world. A brand that has found the right partner in Marcolin for creating eyewear lines that stay true to the brand’s elegance and history.

Max&Co. A/W 2024 Collection

Marcolin Alongside AIRC

The Value Of Research

Over the course of nearly 60 years, AIRC has funded the training, the best equipment and the work of thousands of researchers thanks to whom, today, about 88 percent of women with cancer continue to live years after diagnosis. This is the result of the efforts of AIRC, the Italian cancer research Foundation established in 1965 by a group of visionaries and determined scientists, including Luigi Veronesi and Luigi della Porta. And which today, for the second year, can also count on the support of Marcolin.

Airc and Marcolin for breast cancer prevention month

Marcolin’s Commitment

The Longarone-based company will fund a scholarship to train a researcher whose focus area is breast cancer. Indeed, the challenge is still open in the fight against the most aggressive forms, and it is only through the efforts by supporters and partners of the Nastro Rosa campaign that AIRC can hope to achieve the greatest goal: curing all women. In addition, starting in October, a month traditionally dedicated to the prevention of the most common cancer among women, Marcolin will kick off an awareness drive open to all employees beginning with AIRC’s advice for a healthy lifestyle: don’t smoke, exercise, choose a healthy and balanced diet, and get the recommended checkups for early detection.

“Marcolin will kick off an awareness drive open to all employees beginning with AIRC’s advice for a healthy lifestyle”.
Airc and Marcolin for breast cancer prevention month

Hope For All

An important choice consistent with the philosophy of a company in which 60 percent of employees are women. Because prevention begins precisely with adopting healthy behaviors; this way each person can become an ambassador of well-being for themselves and others. Also, in the workplace. But it is not enough: Marcolin has always believed in the importance of scientific research as a driver of social progress. Investing in the training of young talent in science becomes a valued action to enable the best ideas to be transformed into opportunities for all. For society and for individuals.

Airc and Marcolin for breast cancer prevention month

Moira Mascotto

The Museum Antonio Canova in Possagno is celebrated worldwide: what can academics and art lovers find in the clay and plaster casts of Canova’s sculptures?

«To say ‘beauty’ is an understatement. The marble sculptures by the Maestro from Possagno are exhibited in Italy and the world’s most prestigious museums, attracting thousands of visitors for the level of formal perfection and realistic representation that have made Canova the greatest sculptor of the late 1700s and early 1800s. However, our museum conceals a hidden treasure. Although the casts represent the same subjects, here matter transforms itself: clay is used for scale sketches, while plaster for scale and full-sized models. These materials reveal the Artist’s true essence, manual skills and constant research: with clay, Canova moves quickly, changing his mind, adding and subtracting matter, and making every artwork a mosaic of his ever-evolving thoughts. Plaster, instead, is the phase before the perfection of marble, but the dedication of the man at work, shaping and polishing the raw material, can still be perceived. The Museum also includes the house where Canova was born, a place of inestimable value that hosts his paintings and personal belongings, thus offering a more intimate vision of the Artist, a true encounter with the man himself, that can be perceived in every work of art».

Museum Gypsotheca Antonio Canova

This, however, is not just a place of memories: here, classic and
modern meet, complementing each other. How does the oldest part of the building, dating back to 1836, merge with the addition designed by Carlo Scarpa in 1957?

«When the original structure of the Gypsotheca was built, thanks to the enlightened vision of Giovanni Battista Sartori, Canova’s half-brother, the primary intention was to gather, in a single, safe and majestic place, the Maestro’s plaster works, recreating the atmosphere of his atelier in Rome. With the addition designed by Carlo Scarpa in the mid-1900s, instead, this objective evolved. It was no longer just about preserving, it wished to enhance, give space to and illuminate the works, so that they could come to life inside the exhibition venue. Carlo Scarpa harmoniously merged ancient with modern, and Canova’s artwork, housed both in the 19th-century and 20th-century wings, acts as an essential connecting element. But the classicism of Canova’s artwork is innovative in itself: perfect body shapes are accompanied by timeless faces, universal archetypes. Moreover, light and nature – skillfully used by both Canova and Scarpa – lend a timeless feel to the Museum».

Museum Gypsotheca Antonio Canova

A place like this also speaks of manual skills and work at the service of beauty: does it also serve as an inspiration for the creatives of today?

«I firmly believe that a place like the Museum Gypsotheca Antonio Canova can and must inspire contemporary creatives. The Artist is not just an example of exceptional artistic ability, he also embodies devotion to work and meticulous attention to detail, two essential values in any creative area, within the quest for perfection and the search for beauty and harmony.  In the present-day scenario, where technology and automation play an increasingly important role, rediscovering the value of manual work can offer a new perspective. Fashion, design, architecture and even electronics can be inspired by the Artist’s methodical and reflective approach. There’s more to it than just creating something useful, it’s about infusing every project with beauty and uniqueness, which entail a deep understanding of the materials and techniques used».

Museum Gypsotheca Antonio Canova

Marcolin in Paris

TOM FORD’s exuberant personality, Zegna’s geometric lines, MCM’s balance between the past and the future and adidas’ technology at the service of sports. These are some of the four collections that this year represent Marcolin at SILMO: what do they have in common?

«The common thread running through such different styles is Marcolin’s approach to every single brand, which entails a unique, tailored project that always takes three aspects into account: the specific moment in history, the brand’s legacy and the creative direction’s insights. Therefore, at Marcolin’s display space in Paris we saw TOM FORD’s oversize eyewear inspired by French glamour, true red-carpet frames featuring warm hues and make-up effect shaded lenses. The new MCM collection, instead, flaunts details borrowed from the world of luggage and speaks to the younger generations, with sculpted surfaces and lines that look to the future. adidas’ technology is always at the service of sports as well as style, while this year Zegna presents vintage-inspired eyewear enriched with new details, such as the logo that also serves as the hinge, turning into an aesthetic and functional element».

Silmo 2024

Looking to the future: will the vintage-inspired cat-eye and teardrop shape trend that was so popular this summer for travel and at the beach continue?

«There are timeless shapes in the world of eyewear, true classic must-haves that will never go out of style, although they are reinterpreted with new pops of color and volumes. Cat-eye shapes will therefore continue to be featured in the next collections, although low and rectangular silhouettes will dominate this winter. Teardrop frames, instead, are a constant trend that will never go out of fashion».

“Teardrop frames, instead, are a constant trend that will never go out of fashion”.
Lara Marogna portrait

Shield eyewear dominated last spring. Will we see it also this winter?

«Absolutely yes, large, wraparound shapes are a trend that has been reconfirmed, also based on what we saw at Silmo and what we will be seeing in the city this winter and on the beach next summer, perhaps revisited with new colors and materials, including innovative combinations of different metals. While staying true to the fresh, youthful, informal and colorful style that is typical of shield eyewear, of course».

Silmo 2024

 Those Iconic Red-Soled Shoes

Early Life in Paris

He was only 12 years old when, at home in Paris, where he lived with his mother and three sisters, Christian Louboutin started designing women’s shoes, as he was intrigued by the female universe and by the power of a pair of stilettos. But the real life-changing moment was when he started working as an intern at Folies Bergères: observing the legs of the dancers, he realized that shoes can change the way a woman walks and moves. So he called Hélène de Mortemart, Christian Dior’s Fashion Director, to show her his sketches, and she helped him find an internship. «The smell of glue was enough to make me understand that this was my greatest passion» he loves to say. Then he worked few months with celebrated designer Roger Vivier, where he learned how to create a magical symbiosis between design and craftsmanship. He was now ready to step onto the big stage.

“Observing the legs of the dancers, he realized that shoes can change the way a woman walks”.
Christian Louboutin portrait

Global Success

When Christian Louboutin opened his first boutique, he was less than 30 years old, and it quickly became a reference, thanks to Caroline de Monaco who was one of his early clients. But there was still something missing. He found it by chance: while he was working on a new collection inspired by Pop Art, he noticed the red lacquer color on his assistant’s nails. The rest is history: he asked her to lend him her nail polish and used it to paint the entire sole. His first “signature” mark was born. That extra edge that turns his shoes into a highly recognizable object of desire, into the symbol of a strong and independent woman who, walking in her stilettos, leaves her indelible red mark on the streets. Today, Louboutin shoes are cult objects exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.  His most celebrated creations include the Kate and So Kate stilettos designed in honor of his dear friend Kate Moss, and the made-to-measure pieces designed for Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” and for Beyoncé’s album “Renaissance”.

Christian Louboutin

One Style, Many Plans.

Over his long career, Christian Louboutin has never lost his curiosity and joie de vivre, travelling all over the world and working with artisans from countries such as Bhutan, Senegal and Mexico, as well as with artists, singers and, above all, celebrated designers. He designed shoes for the shows of some of the biggest names in fashion, like Jean Paul Gautier, Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent, combining his unparalleled artisanal skills with a clear aesthetic vision. That’s the key to his success, the reason why “Louboutin shoes” are seen strutting down red carpets worldwide, worn by international celebrities.  Not only women, however, as, since 2009, there is also a men’s line and, lately, a kid’s one. These new projects speak the same language, adding on to the leather goods and accessories collections and the recently launched beauty line that, needless to say, also includes a nail polish. Obviously red.

Taylor Swift

Global Compact: Towards Sustainability

An International Network

It has been signed by 20,000 companies and 2,500 non-commercial signatories from over 167 countries around the world, including 500 in Italy. And among the companies, from today, there is also Marcolin. We are referring to the “United Nations Global Compact”, the largest corporate citizenship initiative, started in 2000 with a proposal by former United Nations Secretary Kofi Annan during the work of the World Economic Forum in Davos in 1999. The objective? Combat the critical aspects of globalization, from child labor to gender discrimination to air, water and land pollution. And promote a sustainable global economy, respectful of human and labor rights, environmental protection and the fight against corruption. For the first time in history, the commitment to align the objectives of the international community with those of the business world was established.

Global Goals for Sustainable Development

The Role of Marcolin

For the Longarone-based Group, this is a further step on the path towards concrete and tangible sustainability, based on a business process strategy that relies on three pillars: environment, people and supply chain. By adhering to the Global Compact, Marcolin is committed to sharing, supporting and applying the ten principles considered fundamental within its sphere of influence. These principles are those universally shared and derived from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the ILO Declaration (labor), the Rio Declaration (environment and development) and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.

A stap of frame control.

An Increasingly Shared Vision

Almost 25 years after the establishment of the Global Compact (at the first summit attended by only 500 representatives of national governments, trade unions and UN agencies) it has become even more evident that this is the right direction. Because it is only by joining forces that every company can truly impact and contribute to building a more sustainable tomorrow, from all points of view, for present and future generations. And because achieving the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations is in everyone’s interest.

Global Compact Manifesto

Clara Magnanini

1

What’s Marcolin’s sustainability vision?

«For Marcolin sustainability means, first of all, responsibility: we are a company, but also a social actor that is deeply rooted in our area, although we operate globally. So, our actions have an impact and we feel it is our duty to make this impact positive and virtuous. At Marcolin we see our commitment like a sort of dynamic line that runs along and connects the three pillars of our strategy: the first pillar is the environment, that encompasses our products, as well as our manufacturing facilities; the second is represented by people in a broader sense; and the third pillar is the supply chain with a view to collective responsibility».

 

One of the stages of manufacturing glasses
2

How did you translate these ideas into action?

«Over the past few years, we’ve started introducing innovative materials for some collections and brands, such as, for example bio-based acetate, while – in terms of our manufacturing facilities – we’ve implemented energy efficiency and waste reduction projects. Talking about the social pillar, then, we just received the certification for Gender Equality, thanks to a very long process encompassing, over the years, the introduction of a number of corporate welfare and parenting support tools, while constantly focusing on training. Lastly, in terms of the supply chain, we introduced a code of ethics and a code of conduct requiring our suppliers to adopt respectful behavior towards the environment and human rights, and we constantly monitor their compliance».

Clara Magnanini
3

What are the challenges ahead?

«There are many challenges ahead, not only for Marcolin. First of all, we need to keep up with the current regulatory acceleration, which requires new skills, new professional roles and investments. But sustainability investments cost and give results only in the medium-to-long term: so not all the companies can afford to make them. But the biggest challenge is the cultural one, because sustainability is an intangible topic. This concept is well-demonstrated by a quote by explorer and environmental activist Robert Swan, who said: “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it”.  Because sustainability is a lot less tangible than a pandemic, a war or inflation, but this intangibility risks generating indifference. At Marcolin, instead, we want to do our share, in the belief that the planet is everybody’s home, a place that belongs to everybody, and that therefore needs to be preserved for the generations of today but, even more so, for those of tomorrow».

Clara Magnanini

Mercedes-Benz | ic! berlin Collection ’24

The World of Puristic Elegance

The new models of the Mercedes-Benz Collection represent the pinnacle of craftsmanship – an exclusive blend of the sensual design language of Mercedes-Benz and the eyewear brand innovative, screwless premium design. Each model testifies to ic! berlin shared commitment to the highest quality and aesthetic perfection. A must-have for anyone who is drawn to the puristic yet elegant design of ic! berlin as well as the timeless aesthetics of Mercedes-Benz, and ideal for those who want to make a statement.

The features

All four new models are inspired by the design language of Mercedes-Benz vehicles: pure lines, flowing shapes, and premium materials. The color palette is subtle and elegant, with accents from the iconic vehicle colours of Mercedes-Benz. Warm hues like bronze and cooler metallic shades such as pearl dominate the collection. The two prescription glasses are inspired by powerfully flowing contours that mirror the design of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, impressing with their lightness and wearing comfort. The sunglasses combine timeless design with a nod to the seventies, accentuated with sophisticated details.