INTERVIEW

HOW WP’S CRISTINA CALORI BECAME THE QUEEN OF HERITAGE 40 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE

There’s a lot we have WP Lavori to thank for. Over the course of its 40-year company history, the Italian company has established countless noteworthy brands on the European market and helped to shape and define the entire industry. On their anniversary, J’N’C was the first magazine to be allowed a glimpse inside WP’s impressive archive and sat down with its President/CEO Cristina Calori for a chat about the past, present and future.

INTERVIEW CHERYLL MÜHLEN & PIERRE D’AVETA PHOTOS MARKUS BRONOLD

“Defining culture, trends and styles since 1982. We are restless and unstoppable. Walk with us.” What at first sight might seem like a typical company claim is actually a vocation and a promise that Cristina Calori continues to uphold to this day. Together with her father Giuseppe Calori, she founded the family business exactly 40 years ago, not knowing that she would one day be responsible for the distribution of the most iconic and promising brands. Today, 70 people work for WP, whose portfolio includes Desert Sons, Vans, Barbour, Paraboot, Columbia, Kiehl’s, Nautica, Eagle, Hanes, Spiewak, Barena, Avon Celli and, once again, Filson. Cristina Calori tells us what she is planning for the brand and what her secret passion is. A small hint: it’s not fashion!

Congratulations on your 40th anniversary! It’s such a great achievement. What do you look back on most with pride so far over the past 40 years?

That’s a good question! After 40 years, I’m still here! (laughing) But seriously: it feels good, because 40 years is a long time, and I started WP with my father back in 1982. Although I’m unfortunately doing it on my own now, a new and younger generation is waiting in the wings, which, again, reminds me of my age, but at least I am still as curious as ever!

That is the most important thing. Will you be celebrating this special anniversary?

Oh, yes! We’ll start celebrating our anniversary at the next Pitti Uomo. And after September we’ll organise something special.

You just mentioned that you started this business with your father. How did it all come about?

My father was already working in several fields, including oil trading. One day this guy came up to him and made an offer for some products that were imported especially from the US. My father wanted to do something with me anyway, and at the time I was working for an agency because I had previously attended art school. That was basically the beginning. I was very young, so having him beside me was so important because he helped me a lot. But yes, the company started with just the two of us and has kept growing ever since.

Do you think he wanted to be close to his daughter or do you have the impression that he wanted to leave something for you?

Perhaps both.

I am very happy with our progress.

WP LAVORI A total of 50 employees are part of the core team in Bologna. In addition, 20 employees work in the shops and showrooms they have around the world.

Did you enjoy working with your father?

Oh, yes. A lot. But it’s not always easy working with a parent. Still, I am very happy about how things went.

You two seemed to work well together and were very successful.

Our first big success was Vans. We were the first ones to bring Vans to Italy – the licensing and distribution. After Italy, we moved on to France and other European countries.

What happened after Vans?

After Vans came Parachute. Back then, it was a very famous fashion brand from New York. And thanks to them, we got into the best stores where we started selling our other products as well.

The foundations of WP Lavori are in Corso. We are sitting here in your archives, in the midst of your own rich heritage, which, by the way, is pretty mind-blowing! And it shows that WP Lavori is specialised in scouting as well as developing historical and authentic international brands. What’s the attraction of these kinds of brands for you?

Well, it’s easier to work with a historical brand because they always have a good story to tell. That makes it all the more fascinating.

But you also have to have a talent for finding the right treasures. Where do you find them?

(laughing) Sometimes by luck and sometimes by travelling!

Luck or not, I bet you know exactly where to look. But you probably won’t share your secrets with us, right?

(laughing) No! They’re my trade secrets!

Then let’s talk about something obvious: WP worked with Filson back in the 80s but you just recently reactivated the collaboration. It’s already a well-known brand in Europe with a huge fan base and now you’re starting all over again. It’s also a brand with a huge archive. What are you planning for Filson?

We want to work with the company to improve the collection. We’re not interested in creating something special just for Europe but for the whole world. That’s what’s most important to us.

I heard that you also want to produce for Filson in the future.

Yes, but here the same applies: not just for us, but for the US customer as well. We set to work around two months ago. They came to our archive to pick out some pieces.

So what will the goal for Filson in Europe be in the next few years? Easier access for retailers and customers, perhaps? Or do you want to make their e-commerce stronger?

On the US market, Filson generates 60 or 70 percent of its turnover from e-commerce. So of course that’s something we’d love to do here too. But we’ve only just started so we still have a lot of work ahead of us.

It’s important to understand the younger generations. They are the future.

I feel like cooperating with Filson was an emotional decision that really came from the heart. How fast you think the brand can excel in Europe and reach the same level as in the US?

I hope it does in a very short time, just like all of the other brands have. What can I say? I’m very happy with our progress thus far. Take Barbour and Baracuta, for example.

How has your work or approach changed over the past 40 years?

A lot. It’s completely different. Everything is very digital now and the way we connect with other people has totally changed. We are living in a different world. And the pandemic has accelerated the process. It’s incredible. Something else that has changed for me are young people. They think so differently from my generation. Sometimes it’s difficult for me to understand them, but it’s important to make the effort. After all, they are the future.

Are you planning any mono-brand stores for Filson in Europe?

Yes. Perhaps in two or three years.

Which city will be the first?

Milan.

That answer came fast. And after Milano?

London, perhaps.

Is the UK a major market for Filson?

Yes, the UK, Germany and of course Italy.

It’s exciting to see that Filson will be more structured and easier to buy in Europe thanks to you guys. An important step, because I remember it being difficult to get certain pieces from Filson in the past. Most of the time you had to order through the US. But when you’re home to so many good brands, it makes me wonder if there’s a brand you’ve been hopelessly searching for so far?

I’m very passionate about real estate, so it’s not really a brand that I’m dreaming about. Actually, I am very happy with what I have now.

That sounds enviable. But until then, let’s return to fashion and talk about the responsibility of preserving the tradition of your brands while at the same time translating it into contemporary collections. How do you balance this fine line?

By finding younger people who are able to interpret the ‘old’ brands in a new way. We need more young people.

Speaking of which, where do you see the target group of future Filson buyers?

They’re not so young right now – around 30 to 50 years old in America. As for here in Europe, I’ll be able to tell you more next year.

It’s a challenge to get the younger consumers on your side. They are also very interested in sustainability. How does the growing awareness of ecological and fair fashion influence WP’s strategies?

We are just at the beginning of this process. We started with Spiewak because it’s a new brand where we can be creative. But yes, we’re trying to understand sustainability in its entirety first because it’s everybody’s future. It’s important to get started. Just like this archive. I started collecting samples and pieces that I liked and it grew bigger and bigger. Thanks to my daughter, it is now very organised as well.

Its value must be huge.

Yes, it is.

Is the archive open to others?

Except for you and our partners, it’s not open to the public yet. Perhaps in the future. For now, we want to take pictures of the styles or work with a university, but it’s not ready to be viewed by the public just yet.

To conclude our conversation, I’d love to know if you have a wish for the future…

Basically, I would like to go back to the past because it’s quite difficult to work at the moment. I hope we can go back to how the world used to be. I get a bit nostalgic, but for me the best years were the 80s and 90s. When it comes to business, of course, I always strive for improvement. And I would love to be successful with my brands in the US.

WPSTORE.COM

Only three years after WP Lavori in Corso (which means Work in Progress) was founded, they opened their first concept store in Bologna in 1985. In addition to WP’s retailer network of eight stores, they also run the mono-brand stores for Barbour and Baracuta in Italy. Beyond that, WP can also rely on its large network of showrooms, as well as a system of wholesale shops that ensure the best possible positioning worldwide. Today, WP Lavori’s portfolio comprises around 30 brands.

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