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Marni (clothing)
Encyclopedia
Marni is an Italian fashion label founded by Consuelo Castiglioni
in 1994, who remains as the label's designer.
, stemming from her husband's family fur business. At the time, fur was at its most unpopular and typically designed in an old-fashioned manner, but Castiglioni instead treated it as a normal fabric to make modern, wearable clothing. Her fashion line, named after her sister Marni, grew as her customers needed something to wear under or with their fur.
Today, the company produces a full array of ready-to-wear clothing, handbags, jewelry, and eyewear. Marni has recently changed from "a well-kept secret among like-minded aesthetes to a label followed for its own sake." Jenna Lyons, senior vice president of women's design for J.Crew
, attributes Marni's rise to the "post-Tom Ford
era," saying that women are lately being bold through color, print
, and shape rather than through overt sex appeal and are dressing more for other women than for men.Marni launched its first menswear line in Fall 2007, creating a stir by introducing leggings as standalone bottoms for men.
In November 2011, H&M
announced a collaboration plan with Marni, to be launched in spring 2012.
." Other descriptors that have been applied to Marni designs include "quirky," "feminine," "off-beat," and "funky." Early design features included idiosyncratic prints and vintage
-inspired shapes and fabrics; Marni has retained these elements but has become more streamlined. Other Marni hallmarks include juxtapositions of texture; colorblocking; a palette focused on gray, beige, and blue, in which bright colors are interspersed; and unusual shapes, such as bell hemlines, gathering
, asymmetry
, and large volumes. In general, Marni's women's clothing resonate more with female customers than with men, who do not find the clothes sexy.
Marni sells clothing in sixteen countries; boutiques locations include London, New York City, Los Angeles, Beijing, Shanghai, Sydney, Moscow, Kuwait, and Tokyo. Online sales began in 2006. Marni "prides itself on its Italian heritage"--its entire line is made in Italy—and does not have any licensees.
Castiglioni's husband, Gianni, is Marni's CEO, and their daughter Carolina runs the online store. The company's annual sales are approximately $100 million: with these figures and the label's increasing cachet, fashion insiders have said that Marni—a family-owned label—is "just the type of label luxury-goods conglomerates and private-equity funds are looking to snap up." Though the company has been approached by potential investors and buyers, so far Castiglioni is uninterested in selling.
Consuelo Castiglioni
Consuelo Castiglioni is a fashion designer. She is part Chilean and was raised in Italian-Swiss town of Lugano, Switzerland.Though she has no training in fashion, she founded the fashion label Marni in 1994, and the line has recently risen to prominence. She is married to Gianni Castiglioni, who...
in 1994, who remains as the label's designer.
History
The fashion line started in 1994, when Castiglioni became known for her contributions to the design of furFur clothing
Fur clothing is clothing made of the fur of animals. Fur is one of the oldest forms of clothing; thought to have been widely used as hominids first expanded outside of Africa. Some view fur as luxurious and warm; others reject it due to moral beliefs...
, stemming from her husband's family fur business. At the time, fur was at its most unpopular and typically designed in an old-fashioned manner, but Castiglioni instead treated it as a normal fabric to make modern, wearable clothing. Her fashion line, named after her sister Marni, grew as her customers needed something to wear under or with their fur.
Today, the company produces a full array of ready-to-wear clothing, handbags, jewelry, and eyewear. Marni has recently changed from "a well-kept secret among like-minded aesthetes to a label followed for its own sake." Jenna Lyons, senior vice president of women's design for J.Crew
J.Crew
J.Crew Group, Inc. is a multi-brand, multi-channel, specialty retailer. The company offers an assortment of women's, men's and children's apparel and accessories, including swimwear, outerwear, loungewear, wedding, bags, hair accessories, belts, jewelry, and shoes. As of January 30, 2010, it...
, attributes Marni's rise to the "post-Tom Ford
Tom Ford
Thomas Carlyle "Tom" Ford is an American fashion designer and film director. He gained international fame for his turnaround of the Gucci fashion house and the creation of the Tom Ford label before directing the Oscar-nominated film A Single Man.-Early life :Tom Ford was born August 27, 1961 in...
era," saying that women are lately being bold through color, print
Textile printing
Textile printing is the process of applying colour to fabric in definite patterns or designs. In properly printed fabrics the colour is bonded with the fiber, so as to resist washing and friction...
, and shape rather than through overt sex appeal and are dressing more for other women than for men.Marni launched its first menswear line in Fall 2007, creating a stir by introducing leggings as standalone bottoms for men.
In November 2011, H&M
H&M
H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB is a Swedish retail-clothing company, known for its fast-fashion clothing offerings for women, men, teenagers and children....
announced a collaboration plan with Marni, to be launched in spring 2012.
Aesthetic
Castiglioni, who has always been the label's chief designer, is responsible for Marni's aesthetic of "European-inflected bohemianismBohemian style
In modern usage, the term "Bohemian" is applied to people who live unconventional, usually artistic, lives. The adherents of the "Bloomsbury Group", which formed around the Stephen sisters, Vanessa Bell and Virginia Woolf in the early 20th century, are among the best-known examples...
." Other descriptors that have been applied to Marni designs include "quirky," "feminine," "off-beat," and "funky." Early design features included idiosyncratic prints and vintage
Vintage clothing
Vintage clothing is a generic term for new or second hand garments originating from a previous era. The phrase is also used in connection with a retail outlet, e.g...
-inspired shapes and fabrics; Marni has retained these elements but has become more streamlined. Other Marni hallmarks include juxtapositions of texture; colorblocking; a palette focused on gray, beige, and blue, in which bright colors are interspersed; and unusual shapes, such as bell hemlines, gathering
Gather (sewing)
Gathering is a sewing technique for shortening the length of a strip of fabric so that the longer piece can be attached to a shorter piece. It is commonly used in clothing to manage fullness, as when a full sleeve is attached to the armscye or cuff of a shirt, or when a skirt is attached to a...
, asymmetry
Asymmetry
Asymmetry is the absence of, or a violation of, symmetry.-In organisms:Due to how cells divide in organisms, asymmetry in organisms is fairly usual in at least one dimension, with biological symmetry also being common in at least one dimension....
, and large volumes. In general, Marni's women's clothing resonate more with female customers than with men, who do not find the clothes sexy.
Stores and corporate information
Castiglioni's husband, Gianni, is Marni's CEO, and their daughter Carolina runs the online store. The company's annual sales are approximately $100 million: with these figures and the label's increasing cachet, fashion insiders have said that Marni—a family-owned label—is "just the type of label luxury-goods conglomerates and private-equity funds are looking to snap up." Though the company has been approached by potential investors and buyers, so far Castiglioni is uninterested in selling.
External links
- Official Website
- Marni Women's Collections at Style.com
- Marni Men's Collections at Men.Style.com