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Piquadro aims to deliver design, comfort and technology |
ITALY. Italian leathergoods brand Piquadro is setting its sights on travel retail expansion as it bucks the economic gloom with continued shop openings across Europe and Asia.
The company, which exhibited its range of luggage, travel bags and small leathergoods for the first time at last October’s TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes, opened 10 new Piquadro shops in the second quarter of 2009, with 13 since the beginning of that year, bringing the total number of owned and franchise stores to 65.
Airport points of sale include Milan Linate and Malpensa, Rome Fiumicino, Bologna and Barcelona.
In Italy, recent domestic market openings have included Rome, Treviso, Modena, Ravenna, Naples, Trieste, Bergamo, Turin and Bari. Outside its home territory, two stores have started trading in Barcelona and one in Belgrade in Europe.
Piquadro is now embarking on rapid expansion in the Chinese region, based on the success of its shops in Hong Kong and Macau.
Four new stores began trading in May and June 2009 in Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei and Hong Kong. Further company-owned openings are slated for Hong Kong, Taiwan and Shenzhen, alongside franchise stores in Ningbo, China and Barcelona.
Explaining the expansion strategy in Asia, Piquadro President and CEO Marco Palmieri said: “The growing consumption of higher price goods by the Chinese population encourages us to trust the opportunity to be present in this market. The success obtained in Hong Kong gives us hope that the entire area will become important in terms of revenue for Piquadro.”
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Women’s bag sales were up +23% in 2008/09 |
Home delivery programme for airport shops
In May 2009, Piquadro introduced a new ‘Piquadro@home’ service that offers home delivery of large items, aiming to increase sales of briefcases, carry-alls and trolleys. The initiative has been a success in Italy, Germany and Spain, according to the firm.
Under the programme, customers can choose to have their new bag conveniently sent home or have the contents moved over from their old bag which is then sent to their home or disposed of by the store, depending on the client’s wishes, at Piquadro’s cost. To guarantee privacy in transferring items from one bag to another, the shops are equipped with a booth.
Explaining the benefits for airport shoppers, Piquadro said: “The advantage of this service is particularly evident in airports because it allows the customer to get round the problem of double baggage onboard.”
Piquadro reports strong financial results
For the 2008/09 period ended 31 March, Piquadro registered a +12.4% increase in revenue, to reach €51.7 million, and a +16% growth in profits, totalling €7.5 million. Good sales performances were seen in briefcases (up +11%), women’s bags (+23%) and small leathergoods (+16%).
Commenting on the strong financial results, Piquadro President and CEO Marco Palmieri said: “Piquadro’s growth in a year that has been difficult for the world economy makes us proud of the work we have done and gives us great faith in the future.”
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Piquadro’s Jazz portfolio briefcase |
Piquadro Autumn/Winter 2009/10 collection
For Autumn/Winter 2009/10, four new unisex and six women’s Piquadro collections are available.
The Passenger collection comprises briefcases, messenger bags and small leathergoods made in soft leather that feature external and internal pockets.
The Journey leather business line has soft roundish forms, metal details and internal and external organisation.
Soft forms and a trendy combination of technical material and leather characterise the capacious messenger bags in the Ride line, which feature details such as rings, zippers and key chains.
Leather and technical fabric with a washed look are the materials used for the practical computer cases in the L2 line, which is said to offer an excellent quality to price ratio.
Completing the range are new seasonal colours for the City, Lounge and Jazz lines.
Piquadro has also introduced its first ‘Piquadro featuring Peuterey’ collection of jackets for men and women.
With a techno-urban inspiration, the collection is made in partnership with Peuterey and reinterprets items such as Montgomery jackets, overcoats and field jackets. Details and accessories include a removable liner and a map of subway systems of major European cities for the Montgomery jacket.
The newest innovation for Autumn/Winter 2009/10 is an ecological stationery range, comprising notebooks and notepads made from regenerated leather.
Corporate social responsibility programme
Starting in November 2009, Piquadro introduced a new corporate social responsibility programme called the Happy Box Charity Project, established in partnership with the Palmieri family, which owns the brand.
The initiative, which supports the Il Girasondo socio-rehabilitation centre, consists of boxes containing a foldable shopping bag, along with a brochure and DVD presenting the project. The creatively coloured shopping bags were designed by the Il Girasondo children who are affected by various disabilities.
Proceeds from the sales of the boxes, net of the costs involved, will be donated to the Cooperativa Bologna Integrazione for Anffas Onlus, which Il Girasondo is part of.
About Piquadro
Piquadro was created in Italy in 1998 by Marco Palmieri, current Chairman and CEO of the company. Specialising in business and travel items, the brand aims to focus on design, comfort and technology. Piquadro has received a number of patents in recognition of its technical and functional innovations.
