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MILAN — “This brand is not mine.” This is how fashion entrepreneur Cristina Calori started an interview about the relaunch of heritage Italian knitwear brand Avon Celli. It might sound awkward to hear it from someone presenting a new project, but it actually says a lot about Calori’s approach to business.
Calori is president of WP Lavori di Corso, a group based in Bologna, Italy that manages and distributes international brands. Specifically, the company owns the Baracuta and BD Baggies labels, and distributes Barbour and Blundstone.
“We are very focused on heritage brands, but all of them are in the outdoor, sportier and more casual segment,” explains Calori. “Avon Celli is a heritage brand, but it is positioned in the luxury arena and that is why I decided to separate it from other labels.”
Fully aware of the differences that separate his traditional business from the luxury arena, for the relaunch of Avon Celli, Calori decided to team up with Milan-based showroom 247, which will distribute the label’s collections starting from the spring 2022 sales campaign, starting this week.
The Italian entrepreneur acquired Avon Celli about a decade ago, but the project has remained on the shelves for a while. “I was too busy doing other things, but when I sold Woolrich, I finally had more time to dedicate myself to other things and this is it,” he explained.
Founded in Milan by Pasquale Celli in 1922, Avon Celli had a golden moment in the 90s, when the company not only sold a successful knitwear collection under the Avon Celli brand, but was also an exclusive manufacturer of knitwear from various luxury labels, including Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent.
“My dad used to wear beautiful Avon Celli sweaters known for their richness in custom stitches,” said Calori, adding that the brand’s archive dating back to the 80s served as a major source of inspiration for the label’s relaunch. .
While historically the brand has focused more on menswear, Calori decided to pay equal attention to both collections, which for spring 2022 feature around 20 items each.
Primarily made from cotton, as well as cotton and silk blends, this lineup offers a total knit look, where tops, from sweaters to polo shirts, are paired with dresses, shorts and pants. “A big focus was on texture as we used all the amazing stitches we found in the archives,” says Calori, adding that the creative team primarily worked on a color palette of bright tones, including red, which was chosen as the Avon Celli color. official color.
The label’s spring 2022 collection, which will also be on sale in the brand’s online store set to launch in February, will be priced from 400 euros to 1,000 euros.
Asked about the brand’s potential, Calori said, in the first stage, Italy would be the most attractive market for the brand. “However, I see great potential in the United States, where the brand used to have very good business,” he added.
See also:
Inacio Ribeiro Relaunch Clements Ribeiro Cashmere Knitwear
James Street Co. Sustainable Knitwear Label. Starting the First Spring Collection
Fall 2021 Trends: Knitwear
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