Design. Functionality. Technology. After drooling over several lovely leather handbags鈥攁mong the most fashionable in the world鈥攁t a shop in Rome, I can see why these three words are Piquadro鈥檚 mantra. Each softly sensuous bag has a specific main purpose (briefcase, purse, messenger, etc.), and each comes with pockets perfectly sized for the latest electronic device. Intrigued, I went behind the scenes to find out more.
It all started with a daring 22-year-old engineering student and a belt. Marco Palmieri left University of Bologna in 1987 during his second year, wanting to start his own pellettiere business. During the next 10 years, he studied the industry while producing goods for other companies.
By 1998, savvy Palmieri had recognized the need for a new type of leather product, at a time when sales of personal electronic devices were just beginning to take off鈥攍aptops, cell phones, MP3 players, etc. Store shelves held cheap rubbery computer cases, but they weren鈥檛 attractive; there were handsome, expensive briefcases, but they were large, bulky, and didn鈥檛 offer much protection for electronics. Palmieri knew he could sell elegant, affordable, functional bags.
So was born Piquadro鈥擨talian for P虏 (鈥淧almieri鈥 x 鈥減ellettiere鈥).
By 2000, the first boutique opened in Milan; to date, 108 Piquadro stores have sprung up, from Toronto to Shanghai. But the conception of each bag, briefcase and trolley takes place in Silla, near the border of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna.
The building is a vision of streamlined modernity鈥攁ll white and windows, the glass curved just so, to reflect the distant Apennines. Inside, the calm, contemporary d茅cor belies the undercurrent of energy鈥攜ou can feel it as you step into the spacious lobby. Large workspaces are filled with design, product, quality control and marketing staff, while the warehouse behind smoothly operates in a continuous flow of order processing.
70% of production is for the 鈥渙ngoing鈥 collections鈥攑roducts successful enough to be produced year after year. The signature Blue Square, for example, with its stunning sky-blue piping, dates from the company鈥檚 genesis. Seasonal lines鈥攆ive to seven new collections each spring and fall鈥攎ake up the remainder. And with multiple pieces in each collection, Piquadro designers are continually looking for new inspiration. Designer Irene Gubellini does internet searches and pays attention to her surroundings, always thinking about designs for the future. 鈥淲e鈥檙e already starting to look at fall 2013/14鈥, she says. 鈥淲e keep ourselves updated as to what鈥檚 going on in fashion.鈥 When Gubellini is out on the street, she keeps an eye open for interesting architecture, art and other sources of inspiration, often pulling out her notebook to capture an idea. 鈥淢y favorite thing鈥, she says, smiling, 鈥渋s sketching.鈥 The company watches for emerging talent, meanwhile, by partnering with design schools; this year鈥檚 workshops will be with the Hong Kong branch of the Savannah College of Art and Design.
In fact, with creations inspired not only by today鈥檚 world, but by yesterday鈥檚 beauty (the seasonal collection for fall is named for Renaissance artists and scientists), each piece is a work of art, beginning with the raw materials. 鈥淎ll our leathers come from Tuscany鈥, says public relations manager Paolo Di Giuseppe. 鈥淭hey are certainly the best leathers in the world.鈥 Of course fine leather isn鈥檛 inexpensive, but Piquadro isn鈥檛 in the luxury league with the likes of Prada and Gucci鈥攔ather it鈥檚 known as a premium brand, with, says Di Giuseppe, a good balance between quality and price. Creative design and high quality raw materials are only part of the story, however; product managers keep abreast of customer needs, in addition to analysing designs to make sure they鈥檙e viable for manufacturing. Most items are produced in a Piquadro-owned factory in China, but then they鈥檙e carefully inspected at headquarters for perfection鈥攝ippers working, pockets sized appropriately, stitching flawless. Leather must not stretch or fade, wheels are put through rigorous exercises, and there鈥檚 even a luggage tumbler and conveyor belt to simulate airport handling. All that attention to detail is working鈥very year since the beginning, sales have increased, even after the economic downturn.
The real key to the company鈥檚 success, though, is the same thing that put them on the Italian fashion map: innovation. 鈥淲e were the first ones in 天美传媒 to design briefcases for women鈥, says Di Giuseppe. Function for emerging technology remains a focus, with products tailored to fit specific phones, notebooks and other personal devices. 鈥淎nd we are the only ones鈥, Di Giuseppe continues, 鈥渢o have an app for personalizing your bag鈥. She鈥檚 talking about the Sartoria collection, a high-end series of products launched last June, that can be completely customized by you, the customer, in a store, or鈥攂etter yet鈥攐n your cell, in the comfort of your own home鈥r at work, you naughty thing. Want red leather? Click. Gold buckle? Click. Don鈥檛 like the way the gold looks? Click and try silver. You select the stitching, the handle, even the color of the inside fabric. Best of all, you end up with a product that no one else has.
Amazingly, 75% of the product is sold to Italians. But expansion into other Euro countries and Asia is occurring on a grand scale, and the future looks bright for Piquadro. This fall collections include Leonardo, a classy line of bags with the brand-new Piquadro logo (鈥減鈥 combined with an 鈥渆鈥 to symbolize electronic communication) stamped into the leather. This September, a 480 sq. meter showroom splashes onto the scene in Milan, and negotiations are underway for shops in Paris and London. Asia, meanwhile, is hotter than ever, with stores in Shanghai, Taipei and Beijing, and a sales office in Hong Kong.
If you鈥檙e still wondering what Piquadro鈥檚 three words mean, you don鈥檛 have to go all the way to Silla to find out. You can find their fine design, functionality and technology right at the leather goods store.
After all, it鈥檚 in the bag.
