A summer by the sea under the banner of Made in Italy? At the famous Beach Club “Da Luigi ai Faraglioni” in Capri, you will find the colours and style of the historic Luisa Spagnoli brand, which has chosen to brand the club by dressing beach umbrellas, sunbeds, cabins, beach towels, and every other detail in yellow ochre and deep blue.
A brand, Luisa Spagnoli that speaks to us of female entrepreneurship since 1901, when with her husband Annibale Spagnoli, Luisa opened the grocery store that, thanks above all to her creativity and inventiveness, would soon become no less than the famous Perugina company.
From a grocery store to Perugina
From the very beginning, Perugina was decidedly a female company, both because in 1915, men had to enlist and fight in the First World War and because Luisa had the most successful intuitions, from the dark chocolate ‘Luisa’ to the world-famous Baci Perugina, created with chocolate and chocolate chips that were not used for industrial production.
Cruelty-free angora and fashion
A successful company was not enough for Luisa. In 1928, she opened an Angora rabbit farm to make fine knitwear. A cruelty-free farm, where the angora wool for the yarns was obtained without shearing the rabbits but by brushing them with a specially patented comb. From angora garments, the production extended to clothing, initially characterised by a classic and sober style. From the start, Luisa Spagnoli’s company showed particular attention to its employees (especially women), to whom additional services were offered, such as a kindergarten for children, a swimming pool, and the possibility of shopping at a discounted price.
Luisa Spagnoli died in 1935, but her brand continued to grow and her style was not lost.
A business model that continues
With the entry into the company of her great-granddaughter Nicoletta, the current CEO, an important renewal process began. As a result, fashion lines dedicated to the younger generation, with more casual and less formal cuts, were created, always respecting the spirit desired by Luisa. ‘I have always tried to treasure her example, not only for sentimental reasons but because I am convinced that Luisa Spagnoli was a model that can inspire all women,’ Nicoletta Spagnoli told Vogue. “She used to say that willpower and fortitude are the basis of all success, and this is true not only in economics but also in history.
The numbers of growth
Today, the fashion brand Luisa Spagnoli continues to grow under the banner of its founder. Women make up 76 per cent of the workforce and enjoy the benefits Luisa wanted, plus the company canteen and wellness facilities. The brand is in the Italian market, with over 132 directly operated single-brand shops and 13 outlet shops. There are more than 45 single-brand stores abroad, most managed in partnership with local operators.
The company’s turnover is EUR 140 million and growing steadily; the CEO aims to increase sales through e-commerce and customer services.
Congratulations to those who bring Made in Italy colours and creativity to the world, focusing on female entrepreneurship!
Learn about other Made in Italy outstanding companies in fashion.