(By Beatrice Campani).
Taking back the authentic made
in Italy style to the splendour of the shows in the White Room
at Palazzo Pitti is the dream of entrepreneur Stefano Ricci, who
presides the Florence centre for Italian fashion.
He had the idea of inaugurating the Pitti Uomo Immagine
salon with a show of vintage costumes for a special game of
historic Florentine football.
The secret of the success of his fashion house - which
today has global turnover worth more than 150 million euros - is
a 'made in Italy' brand that is really 100% made in Italy, he
said.
For three years he has been the ace of fashion born and
bred in Florence, strengthened by his commitment to the made-in-
Italy brand.
Ricci took stock of his career on the eve of the Pitti
Immagine Uomo shows, being held June 16-19 at the Fortezza di
Basso in Florence.
Among the features that the president of the Florence
Centre for Italian fashion is particularly proud are the
celebratory game of historic Florentine football, One Night in
Santa Croce (scheduled the evening of June 15) and the so-called
Fashion Train, a high speed train that on the last day of Pitti
Uomo will take buyers and press to Milan, for free and with an
exclusive service.
"There will be a great parade," Ricci said.
"The historical costumes, some of them original, others
meticulously reproduced, will recall the glorious period of the
defence of Florence from the siege of imperial troops of Charles
V. This will be a display of the best arts, manufacturing and
crafts of Florentine tradition, which we can consider the first
fashion show in Italy".
The two events were planned with support from the industry
ministry and the Italian Trade Commission (ICE) along with a
programme of events to celebrate the first 60 years of the
fashion Centre in January 2014.
The house of Ricci wanted to celebrate that date by
donating a new lighting system to the Ponte Vecchio bridge, one
of the symbols of the city.
Ricci had turnover of 155 million euros in 2014, up by 6%
in the first six months of 2015.
Despite the economic crisis the brand has continued to
grow, with turnover of 130 million euros in 2013 and of 89
million in 2012.
"This is thanks to a Made in Italy collection produced 100%
in Italy", he said.
"We also opened 50 stores around the world, none of which
have ever liquidated stock...the American market is performing
very well," he added.
"I would be happy for this trend to keep up for all of
2015".
By the end of the year Ricci stores will be added in
Dusseldorf, Las Vegas, and Shanghai.
Next month his Milan boutique will open in the heart of the
fashion district in the Via Gesù.
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