Marni (clothing)
Marni is an Italian fashion label founded by Consuelo Castiglioni in 1994, who remains as the label's designer.
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[edit] History
The fashion line started in 1994, when Castiglioni became known for her contributions to the design of fur,[1] stemming from her husband's family fur business.[2] At the time, fur was at its most unpopular and typically designed in an old-fashioned manner, but Castiglioni instead treated it as a normal fabric to make modern, wearable clothing.[1] Her fashion line, named after her sister Marni, grew as her customers needed something to wear under or with their fur.[1]
Today, the company produces a full array of ready-to-wear clothing, handbags, jewelry, and eyewear.[3] Marni has recently changed from "a well-kept secret among like-minded aesthetes to a label followed for its own sake."[1] Jenna Lyons, senior vice president of women's design for J.Crew, attributes Marni's rise to the "post-Tom Ford era,"[4] saying that women are lately being bold through color, print, and shape rather than through overt sex appeal and are dressing more for other women than for men.[1]Marni launched its first menswear line in Fall 2007, creating a stir by introducing leggings as standalone bottoms for men.[5]
In November 2011, H&M announced a collaboration plan with Marni, to be launched in spring 2012[6].
[edit] Aesthetic
Castiglioni, who has always been the label's chief designer,[7] is responsible for Marni's aesthetic of "European-inflected bohemianism."[1] Other descriptors that have been applied to Marni designs include "quirky," "feminine," "off-beat," and "funky."[7] Early design features included idiosyncratic prints and vintage-inspired shapes and fabrics; Marni has retained these elements but has become more streamlined.[1] Other Marni hallmarks include juxtapositions of texture; colorblocking; a palette focused on gray, beige, and blue, in which bright colors are interspersed; and unusual shapes, such as bell hemlines, gathering, asymmetry, and large volumes.[1][7] In general, Marni's women's clothing resonate more with female customers than with men, who do not find the clothes sexy.[1]
[edit] Stores and corporate information
Marni sells clothing in sixteen countries;[3] boutiques locations include London, New York City, Los Angeles, Beijing, Shanghai, Sydney, Moscow, Kuwait, and Tokyo.[1] Online sales began in 2006.[3] Marni "prides itself on its Italian heritage"--its entire line is made in Italy—and does not have any licensees.[3]
Castiglioni's husband, Gianni, is Marni's CEO, and their daughter Carolina runs the online store.[2] The company's annual sales are approximately $100 million:[3] with these figures and the label's increasing cachet, fashion insiders have said that Marni—a family-owned label—is "just the type of label luxury-goods conglomerates and private-equity funds are looking to snap up."[3] Though the company has been approached by potential investors and buyers, so far Castiglioni is uninterested in selling.[3]
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Creative Chic." Vogue (May 2007): 258-259, 303-304.
- ^ a b "marni ss10". Glass Magazine. 2009-07-21. http://glassmagazine.co.uk/forum/feature.asp?tid=186. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
- ^ a b c d e f g Dodes, Rachel. "Marni Goes for Latex, Rules Out Sale." Wall Street Journal (Feb. 21, 2007).
- ^ Between 1994 and 2004, Tom Ford was creative director for Gucci, and his designs of body-conscious, sexy clothing set the tone in the fashion industry.
- ^ Deeny, Godfrey. "Marni: Leggings Are the New Must-Have." Fashion Wire Daily (Jan. 17, 2007).
- ^ http://www.forbes.com/sites/bluecarreon/2011/11/29/marni-for-hm-collaboration-for-spring-2012/ Marni For H&M Collaboration For Spring 2012, 29 November 2011.
- ^ a b c "Marni." New York Magazine.
[edit] External links
- Official Website
- Marni Women's Collections at Style.com
- Marni Men's Collections at Men.Style.com
