FIELD TRIP TO ITALY - VALEXTRA'S FLAGSHIP STORE VISIT

 

(GMBA - Luxury Brand Management)

As the third destination of our field trip in Italy, the ESSEC GMBA Luxury Brand Management had the privilege to visit Valextra’s Flagship Store in Milan.

The story of Valextra begins in 1937 when Giovanni Fontana founded the first Valextra boutique in Piazza San Babila, Milan. Inspired by the city of Milan with its architectural juxtapositions and inimitable urban elegance, Valextra has been one of Italy's oldest luxury leather-goods brands, a symbol of iconic Italian craftsmanship for over 80 years.

Our visit started with a meeting with Ms. Chiara Bernardi, CMO, Brand Marketing and Communication Strategy, in a beautiful and sophisticated boutique. She took us on a two-hour journey of the brand, starting with Valextra's brand identity, which is a balance of Art and Design, that is, beauty and functionality, and continued with the history, what is happening with the brand today, and where the brand is headed in the future. We had the exceptional opportunity to hear about the Milanese craftsmanship behind the iconic Tric Trac wrist bag, first conceived in 1968, which still lives on at the heart of the brand, and the subtle details of the distinctive signature, Iside handbag. We were then fortunate to hear from the CEO, Mr. Xavier Rougeaux, who luckily was able to join us last minute due to his very intensive agenda and he shared with us numerous aspects of Valextra's global strategy.

The first question was : "What is design?" which then led to a deeper understanding of the Milanese luxury brand, which expresses an essential urban style where preservation and innovation coexist in symbiosis, fusing everyday function with aesthetic finesse. It was a great inspirational and precious experience for all of us studying in ESSEC GMBA Luxury Brand Management in Paris.