Think casual, and comfort usually trumps polish. But what if you could mix the heavenly comfort of a cloth that’s softer than anything you’ve ever touched before, with the effortless elegance of Italian style? That’s exactly what Loro Piana proposes.
And that’s not just hot air. I recently touched the suit sleeve of Loro Piana’s CEO, Fabio d'Angelantonio, at the brand’s ‘Gift of Kings’ event in Dubai, and it did not feel like a suit at all. It was like the Olympic gold medallist of fabrics. So soft is Loro Piana’s wool in fact, that even the CEO of LVMH, Bernard Arnault – the man who has unlimited access to the world’s finest luxury apparel – has been a loyal customer for decades. Which is likely why LVMH acquired majority shares in Loro Piana back in 2013.
Based in northern Italy, the company has been around for six generations and has earned a reputation for producing the planet’s finest and rarest wools. A testimony of this mission was available for all to see at an art installation they put together in November in the sky garden of the Dubai Opera House. Named the ‘Gift of Kings, it centred around cloud-like swaths of merino artfully displayed inside a tent, like cascading waterfalls and soft woollen rain. From the outside the exhibition was wrapped in an enlightened 13th century Spanish king’s poem rendered in large-scale Arabic calligraphy by the French-Tunisian street artist eL Seed.
“He was very insightful with this poem, which talks about the meaning of life and integrity,” explained d'Angelantonio. “And King Alfonso X was actually very relevant in the history of merino wool because he was the one who was able to protect the merino wool growers.”
eL Seed’s calligraffiti – as the artist himself calls it – was the perfect fit for an event meant to underscore both Loro Piana’s heritage and their focus on innovation. (To exemplify this constant quest for perfection, the brand also held its Record Bale Award ceremony at the event, publicly rewarding two of their growers for producing fibre that breaks all known world records for the fineness of wool.)
“At the end of the day we’re a mix of art and science, it’s about know-how and creativity,” d'Angelantonio continued, drawing an analogy between el Seed’s work and Loro Piana.
Fittingly, the artist fielded questions from the press while clad in Loro Piana, including a timelessly elegant sweater jacket. Cool enough for a graffiti artist yet luxurious enough for the brand’s ultra-sophisticated and discerning clientele, the relaxed jersey cashmere is the answer to casual yet elegantly layering. As is another of this season’s key pieces, a reversible, cashmere-lined bomber.
“It’s quite exciting to see how younger customers are sensitive to our proposition. I think we fit quite well in a number of luxury trends today. One is that elegance is moving from formal to informal, and we’re totally there,” explains the soft-spoken d'Angelantonio.
Previously a marketing director at Luxxotica (he is largely responsible for putting Ray Ban back on the map during his eleven years there) d'Angelantonio took over at Loro Piana in 2016 and has been building on the brand’s tradition – namely working with farmers, many of whom are in Australia and New Zealand, to produce the softest wool and cashmere possible. Evidently, based on the ‘Gift of Kings’, which was impeccably executed yet permeated with a tangible joie de vivre (the Milan team mingled freely with the press and took full advantage of a number of spectacular Dubai venues) he has already infused Loro Piana with his infectious brand of laid-back attention to detail – something he thinks resonates particularly well with a Middle Eastern clientele.
“We represent a universe of sensorial pleasure, beauty in simplicity, we have a deep understanding of our customer and an innate sense of service. I would say our Middle Eastern customers know those elements and love them.”
Italian to the core (which is in part why he was chosen to head the brand), d'Angelantonio’s management style includes spending about 50 per cent of his time “with people, talking and smiling to them” and only ten per cent on numbers. Capping off our tête-à-tête, he also divulges his cooking prowess. “I can cook pasta 25 different ways and you will love all of them!”
Does he wear Loro Piana in the kitchen? It might be a crime, but we hope to find out soon.
