Miroglio

Seeing incorporation at Alba (in the Province of Cuneo, Italy), Miroglio is an Italian firm specialising in the manufacture and distribution for sale of ready-to-wear clothing and fabrics. The Group now delivers consolidated sales revenue in the amount of Euro 997,1 million and employs some 12 thousand people in Italy and abroad. With 58 business operations around the globe, the Group's territorial footprint now stretches out to reach 36 countries. The Group develops the Apparel product stream in lockstep its store network, currently encompassing 2,000 single-branded stores.

The Miroglio Saga

The firm was established at Alba in 1947 by Giuseppe Miroglio, son of Carlo and Angela, both of whom ran a drapery business at the turn of the nineteenth-century.

The move from trade to industry dates back to when Giuseppe Miroglio decides to evolve the family business by venturing into the production of silk fabrics and installing the first set of looms. Drawing breath of life in 1955 was Vestebene (now Miroglio Fashion), the division dedicated to mass-production fashionable womenswear. In 1958, the Miroglio Group broadened its sphere of activity by opening a modern dyeing, special cloth finishing and textile-printing plant, thereby completing the fabric-to-garment production chain.

The Seventies bear witness to Vestebene starting to relocate production, initially in Greece and then to other countries, from Tunisia to Egypt, throughout the Mediterranean brim, whilst the fabric division also ventures into the thread, yarn and transfer paper sectors. Over the course of the next two decades, the Group opened new manufacturing facilities in Southern Italy, particularly in the Puglia region^[1]. Seeing inception in 1973 was the Fondazione Opera Elena Miroglio (now the Fondazione Elena e Gabriella Miroglio), focused around raising awareness of cultural, welfare and social issues. Clear focus is placed on activities steered toward Group employees (healthcare and economic support), and toward their children (nurseries, holiday camps, scholarships) and, not least, toward pensioners (pleasure trips, exercise and recreation)^[2].

Launched in 1984 was the Elena Mirò brand, with the mid-Eighties bearing witness to the Group forging a strategic alliance with leading stylists such as Moschino and Krizia. All of this paved the way toward bringing to life the Group’s other brands: Caractère and Diana Gallesi. Seeing breath of life in 1993, on the other hand, was the Motivi brand^[3].

Another milestone along the route to internationalisation was the Group’s entry into the Bulgarian market, accomplished in 2001 through acquisition of a legendary production site at Sliven^[4].

In October 2002 , the President of the Italian Republic conferred on Carlo Miroglio, Chairman of the Miroglio Group, the Cavaliere di Gran Croce (Knight Grand Cross), an insignia bestowed on those who, in the course of their life and professional career, have been singularly meritorious with long and conspicuous service in social, commerce and industry activities^[5].

Gaining shape in 2003 were rumours of imminent withdrawal by Miroglio from its manufacturing facilities in Southern Italy, starting from the production site at Castellaneta(6) earmarked for shut down in the Spring 2004.

In December 2004, the Miroglio Group seals a joint venture agreement with Elegant Prosper, a Chinese enterprise specialising in mid/upper bracket womenswear. The Euro 5 million initial investment enabled the Italian Group to acquire a 50% interest in the jointly controlled Asian entity. The joint venture was primed primarily toward providing a platform for more vibrant brand growth and development. Following in the wake thereof were specific projects, all of which designed toward enhancing awareness of Miroglio’s Italian brand names across the Asian marketplace^[6].

In September 2005, making its debut was the Elena Mirò brand, targeted at targeted to the more generous sizing womenswear sector.^[7].

At end 2006, the Miroglio Group delivers turnover beyond the Euro 1,000 million mark, with one thousand stores flying the Miroglio banner^[8].

Revisited with effect from January 2007 was the Group’s system of governance: the Board of Directors of the Miroglio Group now consists of 12 members, eight of whom coming from the Miroglio family and four independent directors. The Board is chaired by Carlo Miroglio. The position of Chief Executive Officer is held by Giuseppe Miroglio.

Also, during 2007, on occasion of the International Women’s Day, the insignia of Cavaliere della Repubblica (Order of Merit of the Italian Republic) was awarded to Elena Miroglio. The insignia was bestowed by virtue of the contribution made by the Elena Mirò brand and by the Group toward “emancipating women from a constrictive concept of beauty”, as declared during the award ceremony by Giorgio Napolitano, President of the Italian Republic ^[9].

In June 2008, the Miroglio Group acquired a 50% stake in the Ayaydin Group, a sector leading competitor, specialising in womenswear fashion, across the Turkish marketplace. As agreed by contract, the Miroglio Group works toward building up the market footprint forged by the Ayaydin Group across the homeland and across emerging markets (such as Russia, Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, and Moldavia). The contract contemplates a Euro 120 million five-year investment plan. Taken as a whole, i.e. acquisition and programmed investing toward future development, the value of the transaction for the Miroglio Group equates Euro 60 million^[10].

Shut down at end 2008 was one other production site managed and operated by the Group at Ginosa in Puglia, as subject to Parliament query and debate^[11][12].

In September 2009, the Motivi brand had 500 single-branded stores: 340 stores in Italy and 160 stores abroad. At the time of writing, the brand is distributed in 36 countries with significant market presence in Russia (45 proprietary stores), in the rest of East Europe (50 stores scattered across Rumania, Poland, Croatia, and Lithuania), and in China (20 stores).

Miroglio Today

Today, the Miroglio Group operates through two separate and distinct companies: Miroglio Fashion (specialising in womenswear) and Miroglio Textile (specialising in fabrics, thread/yarn and transfer paper). The womenswear brands clustered under the Group are: Motivi, a fast fashion brand name created in the Nineties for younger customers (ranging from 20 to 35 years in age); Oltre, created in 2001 by way of spontaneous flow down from Motivi, with customer profile targeted toward to the over-thirties, and; Fiorella Rubino, the brand for the more generous sizing womenswear sector.

Increasing demand for comfortable yet stylish and fashionable clothing culminated into Elena Mirò, the brand leader heading the “more generous sizing” womenswear sector. The Miroglio Group’s more generous sizing business segment is multi-pronged by Luisa Viola, Per Te by Krizia (developed in partnership with the Milan stylist Mariuccia Mandelli) and Blu Time Fashion, designed for a younger customer profile target. Clustered within the “regular sizing” bracket of the market are such brands as Caractère, Diana Gallesi, Notes and Sym.

Recently Miroglio acquired a 50% stake in Elegant Prosper and Ayaydin, two clothing companies well positioned in China and Turkey respectively.

Bibliography

Carugati Decio G.; Marsano Beba Vestebene Miroglio. Cinquant'anni di storia attraverso la moda 2005, 101 p., ill., rilegato Mondadori Electa (collana Industria e design)

Note

1. ^ Miroglio in Puglia su Corriere del Giorno
2. ^ La Fondazione Miroglio
3. ^ Carugati-Marsano in bibliografia
4. ^ L'entrata nel mercato bulgaro
5. ^ Comunicazione del Quirinale
6. ^ Notizia su Stile.it
7. ^ Articolo del Corriere della Sera
8. ^ Comunicato sul sito ufficiale
9. ^ Articolo di Repubblica
10. ^ Comunicazione sul sito ufficiale
11. ^ Interrogazione parlamentare del 24/09/08
12. ^ Risposta all'interrogazione del 23/04/09

External links

• Sito ufficiale