Plissè S.p.A. Fashion group celebrates 30 years

Plissè Spa Fashion Group celebrates its first thirty years of entrepreneurship and Made in Italy productions. It is the history of the fashion company from Piombino Dese (Padua) -which today leads Beatrice.b, Sfizio and Smarteez brands- which began in 1988, thanks to the managerial and stylistic vision of Paolo Mason and Morena Bragagnolo. The two entrepreneurs took inspiration from the historical handmade process in naming their company. To celebrate this important milestone, a multitude of projects and innovations are planned throughout the current year, both in the corporate sphere as well as for the brands in its portfolio. First of all, the entry of the family second generation into the company with Beatrice Mason, in the role of Fashion Designer, strenghtening its solid family-based leadership that looks towards an international future. "I am proud to officially join the company, leading the style of the collections. It will be a challenging yet extremely stimulating experience for me, given the significant results achieved so far by my family and the wide margin of international growth, which is expected for years to come for the Plissé group".

Plissè, whose network counts 1,000 Italian stores and 700 foreign customers in Europe, the Middle East and the United States, has always looked towards the future since its foundation, in using artisanal experience and top-notch creativity. The Group is a constantly expanding entrepreneurial business, whose turnover has continuously increased for 10 consecutive years; the 2018 financial year will close with an increase in turnover of 20%, reaching 22.3 million euro. All balance sheet indexes (balance sheet, financial and income) are improving. Ebitda will stand at 2.5 million euros, showing growth of approximately 40% compared to the previous year, while Ebit will reach 0.9 million euros, with a progression of approximately 80% in 2017. From the 2017 financial year, the Group entered the capital market with the issue of mini bonds through the ExtraMot Pro platform, managed by Borsa Italiana. Two issues were completed: one in December 2017 of € 500,000, which has been fully subscribed and repaid on 30 September 2018. A second issue of € 750,000 took place in October 2018, which was also fully subscribed within a few days. In December 2018, the company obtained a public rating assigned by Cerved Rating Agency spa.

Plissè Spa Fashion Group has a history of success, made possible by investing in technology and modernity, while keeping the involvement and the unique, singular passion typical of a family management alive. Many significant milestones have been reached during its three decades of history: from the expansion of the Veneto headquarters in 2003, to the opening of its first flagship store in Jesolo (Venice) in 2006, a pilot store owned by a retail development project, until the 2013 creation of the Plissé Usa Inc. branch in the United States with the aim of increasing and strengthening the American business. Among the other recent key stages of development is the inauguration of a new showroom in Milan and the first flagship store within the CityLife shopping district, as well as the debut of a new retail project for in store-corners of large international department stores and the growth of two New York showrooms, alongside the continuous expansion of the distribution network, from Japan to Canada.

"We are proud to celebrate the group's first thirty years anniversary, with a series of important celebratory projects throughout 2019. The passion for fashion drives us and has always inspired us, makes us looking towards the future, confident that even the next three decades will be challenging, exciting and full of new possibilities. One of these will take place shortly with the launch of the Beatrice.b and Sfizio online sales platforms", explain Paolo Mason and Morena Bragagnolo, respectively the Managing Director and Creative Director and founders of Plissé Spa. It will be a year full of initiatives for Beatrice .b, the first line of the group, which embodies the passion for Made in Italy quality and research for contemporary aesthetics. A label with a recognizable and authentic visual impact, with a neo-luxury product for an international and sophisticated woman. As a first step, an exclusive Beatrice .b capsule will be launched to renew the values ​​that characterize the brand: the heritage of the company, tailoring and Made in Italy craftsmanship. A project that is focused on three iconic garments: skirt, top and dress, all pleated with the characteristic handmade workmanship that is present as a common thread in all seasons and which gives the group its name. “Pleating is an artisanal finishing process that ennobles the fabric, making it three-dimensional while maintaining the fluidity of the silhouette. The effect is made permanent by heat fix and, when it is done artfully, it makes the pleats persist over time, even in a suitcase "adds Morena Bragagnolo. The three products of the limited edition “Heritage .b” capsule collection are made in patches of archive prints, with ad hoc label and packaging. In addition, the Beatrice .b customer will be given the opportunity to customize the garments of the capsule collection, with their initials that will be heat-sealed on the label. It will be possible to buy the garments only for a limited period and only at the Beatrice .b monobrand boutique at City Life in Milan. Sfizio too has new developments, with the women's ready-to-wear line that has an athleisure aesthetic and brings Italian elegance closer to urban styles, creating a young and fresh Made In Italy product. Casual versatility is revisited, bringing details and prints that make the difference to everyday wear items. For this brand, a restyling of the logo will take place with a modern twist, followed by the launch of a new label starting from March 2019, recognizable through an identifying symbol in its labelling.

A significant step towards digitalization will also take place for both brands, with the opening of dedicated Beatrice.b and Sfizio e-commerce platforms from February.

The Group's thirtieth anniversary celebrations will also bring new life to the Smarteez brand, with a massive communication campaign that will integrate traditional and digital channels. A line of research and experimentation, Smarteez is the conceptual brand of Plissè. Purity of volumes and plays on colours come together to create new silhouettes, the result of an aesthetic suspended between the codes of sportswear and the world of womenswear.