Canali’s American goal 

Canali is running fast. After archiving the first nine months of 2022 with a 49% increase at current exchange rates, namely 143 million euros (+38% at constant exchange rates), it is now aiming at strengthening the retail network, particularly in the Chinese, Canadian, US and Mexican markets. The American market as a whole grew by 65% at constant exchange rate in the reporting period, reaching 50% of global sales. «The performance of the US market compensated for the slowdown caused by lockdowns in China, a market in which we will nevertheless continue to invest because it has a very high potential», Stefano Canali, president and ceo of Stefano Canali spa which next year will celebrate its 90th anniversary, explained to MFF.

«We expect China to restart with continuity, maybe it will happen from the second quarter of next year, which means additional growth element. We are convinced that everything we do by expanding the business network in China will be functional to growth». Sales were also good in Italy, where the company doubled its turnover up to 10 million euros. «Italy has benefited from the influx of tourists, who have returned to travel, with Americans leading the way», Canali added. «After the pandemic, everyone felt like going out, returning to travel, meeting friends and colleagues. Thus consumption, as far as we are concerned, of formal and evolved clothing started again. A reinterpreted that maintains the characteristics of formal but with new details and interpretations».

On the retail front, the company opened new stores around the world in the second half of the year, including one just opened in New York on Madison Avenue, one in Paris on Avenue Georges V and Rue Faubourg Sant Honorè. And it is not over yet. In China in Chengdu, Shanghai and Changsha at the Friendship shopping center. New openings are scheduled for next year in Urumqi at Grand maison mode, in Beijing at Seasons place, Mumbai and Hanoi. Meanwhile, the Milan boutique will be completely renovated, with a re-opening planned for september 2023. «The consumer wants to return to dressing in a more articulate way and with something that is truly his, made just for him. Our bespoke service, Me by Canali, launched this year, is doing very well, so much so that we will now also offer it to our third-party customers», Canali continued.

Born as a service dedicated to the more formal categories, the possibility of customization is now extended to more casual proposals such as knitwear, outerwear and denim. For each garment one can in fact select the pattern, fit and materials as well as a wide range of finishes and details such as buttons, inserts, lapels and linings. With a selection of about 500 fabrics between permanent and seasonal ones for the formal proposals, 10 knitwear patterns for 3 yarns (cashmere, cashmere-silk-wool and Sea Island cotton) declined in 20 colors, 250 shirt fabrics and 20 different collars, in addition to the outerwear and denim variants, the customization choices are many.

With a view to sustainability, Me by Canali promotes responsible consumption. In fact, creating one’s own custom wardrobe, with quality fabrics and the possibility of repairing clothes or changing their size, means extending the average life of garments and producing a positive impact on reducing consumption. «Our approach to sustainability is very clear and starts first of all by measuring our environmental impact in order to identify virtuous or improvement areas and implement real and targeted actions to reduce environmental impacts. In this sense, an action plan is scheduled to be defined in the coming months. Making a quality product means making a product that is also sustainable for the environment», the manager added.

Following the European recommendation 2021/2279/EU, the company conducted the Oef (Organization environmental footprint) and Pef (Product environmental footprint) analysis. «The Oef considers the impact of our organization according to 16 environmental indicators by applying them from raw materials to the distribution of final products. The Pef, on the other hand, evaluates the use and end-of-life phases and thus the overall impact of the garments. Working by clusters, we were able to analyze 59% of our total production instead of a single product, using parameters such as number of uses, washes, repairability and durability, which for a brand like ours with a large component of tailoring, is of enormous relevance» the ceo concluded. (All rights reserved)