Etro to Introduce Kids Line
MILAN — Etro is stepping into the childrenswear arena.
The Italian fashion house has inked a licensing agreement with manufacturing company Simonetta for the development and production of the Etro Kids line, which is set to include newborn, baby and junior collections, therefore covering a demographic from 0 to 16 years old.
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The line will officially launch with the spring 2024 collection and its creative direction will fall under the vision of Marco De Vincenzo, who’s already in charge of Etro’s women’s, men’s and home collections.
As the goal is to coherently extend to the new category the same aesthetic the designer has been imprinting on the brand since his appointment last June, the rich fabrics and simple shapes deployed for the main ready-to-wear collections are expected to be replicated in the mini-me looks. The Etro Kids line will also include footwear and leather goods, focusing on materials, prints and embroideries created for the adult counterpart.
“Etro is a world of colors, patterns and inspirations that can easily embrace the kidswear segment, while strategically expanding the brand’s creative and business horizons,” said Etro’s chief executive officer Fabrizio Cardinali. “We are sure that the partnership with such a leading company will continue to enhance our vision, aimed at offering customers an increasingly complete and high-quality shopping experience.”
Cardinali joined Etro in September 2021 — a few months after giant private equity firm L Catterton acquired a majority stake in the company — from Dolce & Gabbana with the mission to grow the brand’s customer base, expand into new categories, enhance its digital presence and drive global expansion, with a focus on the opportunities offered by Asia. In an interview with WWD last year, Cardinali said the goal is to reach 500 million euros in sales in five years.
The first Etro Kids collection will drop in November in selected stores of the brand, its e-commerce as well as a selection of department stores, e-tailers and multibrand retailers globally.
Simonetta Group’s CEO Niccolò Matteo Monicelli highlighted that the addition of Etro to the company’s portfolio marks “a further step for our group, which once again confirms itself as an international reference platform in the childrenswear sector.”
Founded in the ’50s in Jesi, in Italy’s Marche region, Simonetta is among the market leaders in the category. Along with operating its namesake brand, the company manufactures and distributes under license the kids’ collections of Emilio Pucci, Balmain, Elie Saab and Stella McCartney, among others. Last year, high-end puffer-maker Khrisjoy and Missoni were also added to the portfolio.
Simonetta set up a department to manage the licensed brands in 2000, when it started collaborations with the likes of Roberto Cavalli and Tod’s for the Roberto Cavalli Junior and Fay Junior brands, respectively. Ten years later, it began its partnership with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton that in 2016 evolved into a license production agreement for Fendi kids and baby collections.
In June 2017, Simonetta was acquired by Italian textile and fashion manufacturer Isa Seta SpA, which is under the Carisma group’s umbrella.
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