Blufin

Infobox Company
name = Blufin S.p.A

type = Private
foundation = Carpi (1977)
founder = Anna Molinari Gianpaolo Tarabini
location_city = Carpi
location_country = Italy
location =
locations = 55 boutiques
area_served = Worldwide
key_people = Anna Molinari, Rosella Tarabini, Gianguido Tarabini
industry = Fashion
products = Womenswear
services =
revenue = €102.4m (2006)
operating_income =
net_income =
assets =
equity =
owner =
num_employees =
parent =
divisions =
subsid =
slogan =
homepage = [http://www.blufin.it/intro_eng.htm www.blufin.it]
footnotes =
intl = yes

Blufin S.p.A is an Italian fashion house founded by Anna Molinari and her late husband Gianpaolo Tarabini. The core brand is Blumarine, which they started in 1977, followed by Miss Blumarine (1987, 8-14 year old girls), Blugirl (1995, for teenagers) and Anna Molinari (1995),cite web|url=http://www.blufin.it/BF_presentation.htm|title=Company Profile|publisher=Blufin S.p.A|accessdate=2008-04-08] which is being repositioned as their luxury brand.cite web|url=http://www.blufin.it/portale/strategies.pdf|title=Blufin Business Strategies|format=pdf|date=2007-11-19|publisher=Blufin S.p.A|accessdate=2008-04-08] Blumarine has been described as catering "for that brand of Italian miss for whom no dress is too small nor any diamond too big". [Citation | last =Craik
first =Laura | author-link = | publication-date =2000-02-22 | date = | year =2000 | title =Off the shoulder; Sex appeal in Milan | periodical =The Guardian | publication-place =London | place =Milan | url =http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2000/feb/22/lauracraik | issn = | doi =
oclc = | accessdate =2008-04-08]

History

Blumarine was established by Anna Molinari and Gianpaolo Tarabini in 1977, in the town of Carpi in the province of Modena. The name was inspired by the couple's favourite colour and their love of the sea. In 1980 they made their first appearance at Modit in Milan, where Blumarine was named Designer of the Year, which led to their first show at Milan Fashion Week the following year. The 1986 Milan Fashion Week saw the first collection wholly designed by Anna Molinari.

As the brand took off and they started to license it to other companies, Blufin was set up in 1988 to act as a holding company. By 2006 royalties accounted for €5.5m of their income. The first Blumarine boutique was opened in the Via della Spiga, Milan in 1990;cite web|url=http://www.blumarine.com/BF_timeline.htm|title=Company History|publisher=Blufin S.p.A|accessdate=2008-04-08] the company now sells into more than 1000 retail outlets, of which 55 are own-brand boutiques.

Brands

The core brand is Blumarine, which has been licensed to other companies in the fields of lingerie, accessories and so on; the perfume license is held by ICR-ITF. However in 2007 the company announced that it would be bringing bags and small leather accessories in-house, with a dedicated new display area in the Milan shop at Via Montenapoleone 20. A major international expansion of Blumarine boutiques is planned, particularly in the Middle East and Asia.

The same is true of the Blugirl brand for teenagers, finally launched in 2002 after 7 years in gestation. Dedicated boutiques are planned in places such as Kiev and St Tropez. Blugirl Folies is a new brand aimed at younger teenage girls that will also be opening its first shops soon, all in the former Soviet Union.

The Anna Molinari brand, designed by her daughter Rossella since its launch in 1995, is to be repositioned as a luxury brand that is more "timeless" and less fashion-led than hitherto.

Family

Anna Molinari has received many awards, of which the most notable are perhaps the Isimbardi Fashion Award in 2001, and a La Kore Fashion Oscar ion 2003. She has also been involved with many charities, such as the Italian Osteoporosis League and the rehabilitation of prisoners.

As mentioned above, the couple's daughter Rossella is a designer for the company. Her brother Gianguido Tarabini joined the company in 1992, became Director of Licensing in 2004, and since the death of his father in 2006 has been the CEO in charge of all the company's commercial affairs.cite web|url=http://www.blumarine.com/portale/G_Tarabini_en.pdf|title=Gianguido Tarabini, CEO Blufin|publisher=Blufin S.p.A|format=PDF|accessdate=2008-04-08] He is also responsible for the Hotel Touring owned directly by his mother, separately from Blufin.

Notes and references