Belfe
Belfe is an Italian company, founded in 1920 in Marostica by Pasquale Belloni and Franco Festa.
The beginning
The business of Belfe started from a little family company in Marostica, which in the ’20s began producing semifinished straw products and waterproof clothing. In 1930 Pasquale Belloni, which remained alone to manage the company, specialized in sportswear and started furnishing Italian army, which was at the time in Africa. In the ’50s production was readdressed again, towards activewear and leisurewear, to the point that it produced all the necessary equipment for the Italian expedition which in 1954 climbed K2.
In 1976 Angelo Carlo Festa, son of cofounder Franco, took the reins of the company and, in 1990, he gave life to Skin division, which started producing sportswear and leather clothes for Giorgio Armani. Since 1998 Belfe has been leaded by third generation of Festa family, which actualized a 2 million items a year production, whose 40 % was addressed to exportation. Furthermore, in order to guarantee a complete exhibition of its production, which ranged from informal metropolitan clothing to sportswear, store with Belfe & Belfe sign were opened.
The change of proprerty in 2003
In 2003 Belfe registered a big decrease in turnover, which moved from 86,8 to 51,6 million euros and which had important consequences in the company: Thierry Andretta, who in 2002 left Gucci for the Venetian company, gave up the business, whose property came to be entirely of Festa family. But, in the same year, the family, aimed at finding a new strategy both for Italy and Europe, sold it to MedInvest International, which appointed CEO Alfredo Passariello, which climbed the corporate ladder in Armani.
The new CEO immediately attacked markets: in 2004 he brought back in Italy and Europe production, which had been delocalized to Asia. The following year he opened 5 flagship stores: 3 in China, one in Hong Kong and one in Vicenza. In 2005 he also obtained the license for the production and distribution of Porsche Design clothing.
Changes continued in 2006, when Mauro Taliani, person of note in luxury sportswear world, started managing Post Card, the second brand of the group, while Claudio di Bucci, who already worked for Trussardi, Ittierre and Versace, was appointed Fashion Coordinator of Belfe. The last one gave life to important partnerships: he indeed obtained licenses for the production of Chanel‘s Cruise collection and Polo Ralph Lauren‘s sportswear and leather clothing. The license for the production of Baldinini‘s leather jackets added in 2007.
In spite of the cares, the company kept finding itself in difficulty: so, in 2008, it was forced to sell Post Card to Avirex, in order to better concentrate in renewing the main brand. In 2011, eventually, after a necessary company renovation, Belfe cease its activity in Italy, only keeping Milan’s business office, to manage import and export activities; production was entirely entrusted to Bulgarian factory.
You may also like:
To read the item in Italian click here.