Pitti – Samsonite’s Booming in Black

One of the best things about coming to Pitti, the Florentine trade show that is probably fashion’s best-organized single mega event, is getting the pulse of which brands are on the up; and few show more sides of ruddy health than the booming luggage label Samsonite.

Centerpiece at the American-label’s stand at Pitti was the new luggage designed by Alexander McQueen for Samsonite Black Label, its top-level division.

Buoyed by attention generated by McQueen’s collaboration and driven by some natty new product from the brand’s creative director Quentin Mackay, business is booming for Samsonite. It expects to report a 9% increase in sales to $1.050 billion in the financial year ending this Jan. 31, with a impressive 18% increase in its bottom line.

Samsonite boasts some 600 retail doors internationally, including franchises, but is putting increasing emphasis on the Black Label division, which now retails in 41 stores.

“Black Label currently accounts for about 5% of total sales but we want that to rise next year to between 10 and 12%,” explained president and CEO Marcello Bottoli, one of four executives who acquired Samsonite in the early part of this century.

Upcoming plans are to open boutiques on Madison Avenue, NY, and Melrose, LA, and majorly boost business in Russia. Bottoli revealed to FWD that Samsonite has acquired a chain of eight stores in Russia, which it will revamp as Samsonite boutiques.

Samsonite’s success has been built on a smart dual strategy of aggressively upping its price point with haute gamme new bags and creating excellent high-tech luggage, like impressive wheelie cases in woven polypropylene.

“It’s used in car components, but also makes great bags,” smiled Bottoli.

Mackay has also overhauled the product range with inventive new leather styles and slick industrial finishes for the luggage.

After the takeover, Samsonite dropped its ready-to-wear division, viewing it as not really relevant to a travel-based company. But the Scots-born, though London based Mackay did present some great new ergonomic shoes with built in stretch. Like the label itself the shoes appear extremely well designed a successful long-haul flight.

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