Accessories have been identified as a significant priority for the firm in 2023, beginning with purses, and are seen as crucial in broadening the reach of the brand and further enhancing the Y2K aesthetic creative director Nicola Brognano has imposed on the brand since his arrival in 2019.
Brognano has launched the brand’s first entire selection of handbags after tiptoeing in the sector in previous seasons by developing elegant leather micro bags and logoed choices in eco-fur. The collection will be presented next month as part of Blumarine’s pre-fall 2023 collection, and it is slated to hit shop shelves in June.
Brognano addressed the project’s “commercial demand” as well as the need to represent the brand’s ethos in general. “We sought to convert the brand’s DNA into useful bags that could be worn from day to night,” said the designer, who avoided “restricted shapes that couldn’t even contain a cell phone.”
As a consequence, the collection contains three distinct styles reflecting early 1980s vibes to complement Brognano’s sassy, low-waist, high-hemline appeal and Blumarine’s characteristic codes.
The “Kiss Me” bag has a curving design reminiscent of an upper lip and long handles, creating a “more feminine and sensual” appearance, according to Brognano. The “Butterfly Bag” choice is extremely literal in its tribute to the label’s animal spirit, but is decorated with side buckles for a rawer appearance, whilst the “Cargo Bag” option extends Brognano’s study of practical aesthetics from ready-to-wear to accessories with its pockets aplenty.
Each type comes in two sizes and is made of leather, vinyl, or denim in a colour pallet ranging from pink, purple, and red tones to taupe and black.
“This is the first small collection. “The goal is to expand on this and incorporate different styles,” stated the designer.
“Historically and now, the handbag category has never had such a weight [on overall sales] to be deemed important [at Blumarine]. As a result, this initiative “feels like a start-up,” according to Marco Marchi, founder and head of the board of directors of the EIH Eccellenze Italiane group, which owns Blumarine’s parent company Blufin.
“We estimate that in the long future, this product category might account for up to 50% of the brand’s turnover,” the Italian entrepreneur stated, declining to reveal complete sales statistics for 2022 but forecasting “strong double-digit growth.”
Marchi intends to open specialised pop-up stores in notable luxury department stores around Europe to boost the accessories line’s push, but the approach and list of partners will be fine-tuned throughout the sales campaign next month. The entrepreneur said that preliminary, considerable interest had been received, particularly from the United Kingdom and France, as well as Italy.
For sure, exposure of the accessories will be improved in the new retail concept the company will present next summer, when the Blumarine shop in Rome will reopen with a renovated format in keeping with Brognano’s creative approach.
Overall, the best-performing markets for Blumarine are the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Korea, “which have been expanding and reacting incredibly strongly to the offering since the beginning of the new aesthetic journey,” according to Marchi.
“These are marketplaces regarded as innovators and fashionistas par excellence, with some of our clients achieving sell-through rates of 90 percent. We also see enormous potential in the Chinese market, which has high-spending, trendy, and extremely engaged Gen Z clients, as well as in Europe, where brand recognition and interest are always expanding,” the entrepreneur continued.
Looking forward, Marchi stated that the brand’s next focus would be on footwear, since the staff committed to this category has been reinforced in order to develop its expansion. The creative approach, similar to handbags, will highlight the house’s codes, such as the rose sign, as well as the butterfly pattern and denim.
“We will also launch two collaborations in the first half of 2023, one with an Asian footwear brand and the other with a New York-based ready-to-wear label,” Marchi said, while keeping more specifics under wraps. Capsule collections with a variety of retailers, as well as unique drops exclusive to Blumarine’s own e-commerce, are also planned for the second half of the year.
The ultimate goal of these launches is to increase the fashion brand’s appeal and performance by transforming it into a lifestyle label. Blumarine’s current offerings include eyeglasses and perfumes, which are licenced to Angelini Beauty and De Rigo, respectively. Bellantuono Bridal Group produces and distributes the Blumarine Sposa bridal line, while Svad Dondi SpA handles the home collection.
Marchi, the creator of modern label Liu Jo, chose last year to take over the licencing to Blufin’s contemporary and children’s wear lines, Blugirl and Miss Blumarine, through his own fashion firm Liu Jo Group. Blumarine was not included in the transaction and was operated separately by Blufin.
In November 2019, the Italian entrepreneur purchased Gruppo Blufin and its brands Blumarine, Blugirl, Anna Molinari, and Be Blumarine from the founding Tarabini family. The transaction came shortly after Eccellenze Italiane purchased a 15% interest in Italian retailer Coin SpA.
The Eccellenze Italiane conglomerate was formed to increase the visibility and business of small and medium-sized Italian enterprises on the world stage, and Marchi stated that the group’s ultimate goal was an initial public offering in 2019, ahead of the COVID-19 epidemic. Marchi had planned to float the Liu Jo firm in 2018, but stated it had been postponed due to adverse market circumstances.
Anna Molinari and her late husband Gianpaolo Tarabini created the Italian fashion brand Blufin S.p.A. Blumarine, which they launched in 1977, is the primary brand, followed by Miss Blumarine, Blugirl, and Anna Molinari, which is being reinvented as their premium brand.
The label is noted for its feminine and romantic style, which includes rosettes, sequins, fur trim, and vintage-inspired materials. Designer Anna Molinari, dubbed the Queen of Roses, has prominently used rose themes in Blumarine designs over the years.
Blumarine, like other famous Italian luxury names, is now positioned at the top of the worldwide market. The brand’s reputation and grandeur are recognised by consumers, merchants, and members of the fashion elite.
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