Pollini Marks 70th Anniversary
GATTEO, Italy — Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1972 film “Last Tango in Paris” with Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider sparked much controversy for its graphic portrayal of sex and extensive nudity. But there was at least one fashion brand that benefited from the movie: Pollini, which saw its visibility boosted as the late actress wore the brand’s signature Cavaliere boots throughout the movie.
Pollini has never ceased to evolve this distinctive model and this year it is part of a capsule that marks the brand’s 70th anniversary.
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The capsule includes seven designs for seven decades, reinterpreted for the milestone and available for fall, from the Cavaliere with deadstock fur details with a pixelated effect and the moccasin with the signature “cremino” sole in different colored layers, to the Daytona model revisited as a platform sandal or ankle boot.
The collection includes a selection of bags, from the small leather crossbody to the retro doctor bag or the hobo, also in deastock fur.
Pollini isn’t only a footwear and handbags brand that spans 70 years but it’s also a producer of accessories for parent company Aeffe. The Pollini brand has been growing steadily, up 18 percent in 2022, registering an acceleration over the past three years, and the company helped lift overall 2022 revenues at Aeffe, which also controls the Alberta Ferretti, Moschino and Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini brands.
Last year, revenues at the fashion group, which first bought a majority stake in Pollini at the end of 2000 and 11 years later took full control of the brand, rose 8.4 percent to 352 million euros.
In 2022, ready-to-wear revenues amounted to 231.8 million euros, up 5.3 percent, while the footwear and leather goods division reported sales of 163.6 million euros, increasing 16.9 percent on 2021.
Massimo Ferretti, executive chairman of Aeffe, said the acquisition of Pollini was intended to service the group’s brands. “Accessories at the time were a marginal part of our business, which needed a boost,” said Ferretti. “To create a structure with the skilled craftsmanship that Pollini already had would have not been easy, while we could rely on the years of experience developed by the Pollini family. The company had so much history and know-how, the integration was smooth,” he explained, noting that producing for third parties was also ingrained in the company, which has worked over the years for the likes of Fendi, Jil Sander and Dsquared2, among others.
Pollini’s general manager Marco Piazzi still marvels at the feat of creating the Dsquared2 skeleton heel or the ankle boots with the ice skate heel years ago for Dean and Dan Caten’s brand.
The skills of Pollini’s artisans continue to be put to the test given the imaginative, quirky and whimsical designs of Jeremy Scott, Moschino’s creative director, from the biker bag to the heart-shaped clutches. Walking through the manufacturing plant, there’s no denying the versatility of the artisans, as they put the finishing touches on a dainty Alberta Ferretti sandal embellished with crystals and, a few workstations away, control the quality of a supersized Moschino platform. Piazzi said the company produces 250 pairs of shoes a day.
Pollini no longer produces under license for brands outside the Aeffe Group, and over the years it has ventured in different directions, having been designed by the likes of Nicholas Kirkwood and Rifat Ozbek, and expanded with ready-to-wear collections of its own.
Ferretti was pleased with the current focus of the company, “recovering its heritage in continuity. It’s credible and has solid foundations, it continues to grow, and still has a lot of potential.”
Piazzi, who joined Pollini in 1991, said brand extension is not on the table at the moment, while a priority is to further expand its retail footprint in Italy and return to the U.S. market this year, leveraging Aeffe’s American subsidiary.
Largely distributed at wholesale, there are nine Pollini boutiques in Italy in cities such as Milan and Venice, with a unit in Pavia opening in March. There also are six stores abroad. Piazzi said agreements for doors in Tirana and Dubai are being finalized.
“Our in-house online business is also rewarding, as is the volume done with Farfetch,” said Piazzi.
At the same time, he touted a strong relationship with Pollini’s wholesale clients, both through and after the pandemic. “We helped each other out and built a loyal network over the years,” he said.
Another focus for the executive is developing the next generation of artisans in the area, which is close to San Mauro Pascoli, a storied footwear manufacturing hub, investing in a training center in that town.
Natalia Battaglini, style and merchandising director, who honed her skills at the Ermenegildo Zegna Group and at Valentino, is responsible for the three Pollini collections: Pollini Archive, the premium line, which revisits signature styles in a contemporary way; Pollini, more linked to seasonal trends, and Pollini Heritage, marked by an allover monogram pattern. A special edition of the latter will be presented on Friday in Milan as a see now, buy now collection.
In a video created to celebrate the anniversary, which reflects the changes in lifestyle through the years, the Pollini logo is seen slightly modified but always surrounded by a laurel wreath.
“I am very respectful of Pollini’s past and I am convinced I have to remain faithful to its path, while evolving its designs for today,” said Battaglini. “I think of the woman who wears Pollini rather than seeing this as a brand. That woman is Pollini’s narrating voice.”
Signature details were derived from the horse riding tradition, and include brogues, horsebits and stirrups, evolved through the years.
The Daytona pump model, explained Battaglini, reflected a modern concept, inspired by technology and speed — hence being named after the race track — with its chunky heels and accentuated, square-shaped toes.
The Cavaliere boots retail for between 800 euros and 1,100 euros, while the Daytona shoes are priced at around 450 euros and 600 euros. Bags retail at between 300 euros and 550 euros.
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